An Urchin With Ideals
by iColor With Crayons
Summary: Alexander is working as a merchant's clerk when he first sees Eliza Schuyler. His friends tell him to forget it; she's too high class for him. That is, until Hercules makes the mistake of suggesting that Alexander pose as John Laurens' cousin at a ball. I'm bad at summaries - read it because Angelica eventually gives Alexander a bloody nose and it's funny.
1. Chapter 1

Alexander had seen Eliza Schuyler walk around the city every other day since arriving in New York for the first time.

"Who is _that_?" He had asked his first and only friend, Aaron Burr. He watched her talking with two other ladies. She was smiling in a way that showed off two beautiful dimples. His face was contorted into an expression of unbridled longing.

Aaron saw the look on Alexander's face and laughed. "I wouldn't consider them, if I were you. Those are the Schuyler sisters - Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy."

"Which one of the sisters is she?" Alexander nodded at the girl who had caught his eye. She was laughing now, oblivious to the way that she was making his heart wrench in his chest.

"That's Eliza." Aaron said. He shook his head, smiling. "Really, Alexander. You had better forget all about them. Her father is a general who owns half of New York. She's from a different world."

Alexander's shoulders slumped. He looked over his shoulder at the dock behind him. He had been working as a merchant clerk when he wasn't in school. It was the only way that he could afford to go to school at all.

With a heavy heart, he nodded. He agreed with Aaron and consigned himself to a lifetime of watching Eliza Schuyler walk around New York, never risking so much as a 'hello'. He tried to tell himself that he would be satisfied if he could only see her smile every once in a while.

He wasn't.

* * *

"Laurens said he'd kill himself if he had to hear you talk about Miss Schuyler one more time." Hercules Mulligan remarked as Alexander watched Eliza walk arm-in-arm with her older sister, Angelica.

She was wearing a blue dress, today. It made her eyes sparkle. Her hair, glossy in the sunlight, was tucked behind her ears. She stopped to greet just about everyone that she crossed paths with. Everyone seemed to love Eliza. Alexander was no exception.

Hercules rolled his eyes at the spellbound look on Alexander's face. He often hung out on the dock while Alexander worked, which meant he had plenty of time to observe his friend pining over an unattainable woman. Today, he was sprawled out on the dock, his back against a post and one leg tucked against his chest.

"Just talk to her." He said.

"You know that I cannot 'just talk to her'." Alexander grumbled, scowling at the stack of parchment in his hands. "I have no money, I have no title. I am a bastard, born in obscurity. If I wasn't arrested for simply approaching her, I believe she would flee at the sight of me."

"You're not _that_ bad-looking." Hercules teased.

Alexander did not smile. He snorted and shook his head. "Thanks."

"Why don't you just get some respectable clothes and tell her that you're Laurens' cousin? If she thinks you're some well-to-do aristocrat, she'd have no reason to flee at the sight of you." Hercules ventured another joke.

He was joking, Alexander knew, but his eyes lit up.

"Herc, you're a genius."

"No." Hercules struggled to his feet. "I wasn't serious."

"But it would work." Alexander grinned.

"Laurens' father would kill you."

"Only if he found out." Alexander kept on grinning. His eyes shone with excitement. "He's all the way in England - one ball, and he'll be none the wiser."

"What if someone writes him, telling him that they were introduced to a nephew that he does not have?" Hercules asked, following Alexander as he stepped onto a merchant vessel to take inventory.

Alexander kept walking, scribbling notes onto the parchment without pause. "I won't draw any attention to myself. No one will even think to ask for my name."

Hercules barked out a laugh. "You're not going to draw attention to yourself? Hammie, you're fooling yourself if you really believe that."

"I don't care what any of those snobs think of me. I only want to speak with her. I've imagined it so many times…Herc. I have to speak with her." Alexander paused to look at Hercules, his mouth curving into a desperate frown. Hercules sighed and hung his head.

"You are crazy." He said.

"Yes." Alexander admitted, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards again.

"You're going to have to convince Laurens." Hercules added, obviously hoping that that would deter Alexander from enacting his fool's plan.

"I don't believe that will be a problem." Alexander responded, gleefully tallying the number of barrels of olive oil on the ship. He glanced over at Hercules before continuing his writing.

"Yeah." Hercules agreed grimly. It was his turn to frown. "I don't, either."

 **A/N: I'm baaaaack. This is not one of the stories I'd been planning on writing, but I wrote a few chapters of those and didn't like the result. This is the only story I liked well enough to stick with it. Hopefully, you all like it, too. I'm going to *try* to update weekly, but we all know how I am with schedules. I hope to see you next week, but if I don't...just leave me a review and yell at me. That usually works.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Stop fidgeting." Hercules commanded as he pinned the emerald green jacket that he had been trying to find a buyer for, for the better part of two months. He had to shorten the sleeves so that Alexander did not look like he was being engulfed by the satin fabric.

"Hard not to, with a pin that close to me." Alexander grumbled.

"If I wanted to stab you, I would have done it months ago." Hercules mumbled, sticking a pin between his teeth as he crouched down to adjust the length of the jacket.

"Try to look stately." John Laurens advised, looking Alexander over critically. "You're in expensive clothes. Act like it."

"Why don't you try to act like you have money?" Hercules remarked, crawling behind Alexander to adjust the coat tails. He poked his head out from behind Alexander's legs to glare at John. "Buy him the damned coat instead of making me risk losing the money I spent on the fabric."

"Ah, but Hamilton doesn't need anything so fine. It would be gilding the lily." John winked at Alexander. Alexander grinned back at him.

"Uh-huh." Hercules grumbled. He rose to his feet again. He walked around to look at Alexander head-on, adjusting the jacket on his shoulders a bit. He observed his work with an intimidatingly critical expression. Alexander tried not to fidget under his gaze.

At long last, Hercules let out a sigh and took a step back. He was satisfied with his work. He clapped Alexander on the shoulder and afforded him a small, tired smile. "Alright, Hammie. Give 'em hell."

* * *

"What should I say to her?" Alexander inquired, fidgeting with his cravat as John Laurens' carriage lurched toward the mansion at which the most recent ball was being held. He looked out the window impatiently.

"You could tell her that you've been watching her from afar for the past year and a half." By contrast, John was perfectly at ease. He watched Alexander fidget from the opposite carriage bench.

"Be serious, man." Alexander pleaded. "I fear for my eternal happiness if our introduction does not go well."

"It will go well, Alexander." John was the only one of Alexander's friends to use his first name instead of his last. He cast Alexander a small, quiet smile. It wobbled somewhat. Alexander chalked it up to the bumpy carriage ride. "Everyone loves you. Why should Miss Schuyler be any different?"

"I don't see how she could love me." Alexander shook his head. He began fidgeting with the cuffs of his sleeve. The more he fussed with them, the more uncomfortable he became. He shifted in his seat miserably. "I have nothing to offer her. She has everything that a woman could want. Why should she accept me?"

"Perhaps because she has everything except for you?" John suggested weakly. He leaned forward a bit, fixing his eyes on Alexander's. "Any woman would be lucky to have you. You are handsome, you are smart, you are kind, and you are devoted in a way that most men do not allow themselves to be. If she does not see how maddeningly lucky she is to have captured your attention when you introduce yourself, she is simply not worth having."

"How can you say that? Of course she is worth having! Do you know if she has any other suitors? I imagine she has a small army of men more deserving of her hand than I." Alexander closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat. He wondered how much longer the carriage ride would be. He was sure that he would drive both John and himself to the brink of insanity if it lasted much longer.

"Let us not speak of this any longer." John said firmly.

Alexander kept his eyes closed. He did not respond. He, too, had worn himself out with all of his worrying. Unfortunately, his panic did not stop with his words. His mind raced as the carriage jostled down the road.

"We're here." John said, after a few minutes. He sounded relieved.

Alexander's heart gave a nervous twinge in his chest. It was time for him to introduce himself to Eliza.

They stepped out of the carriage. Alexander looked around. The estate was much grander than any that he had been to before. He looked over to see if John was intimidated. He was surprised to see that John looked wholly unimpressed. He tried to adopt the same unaffected airs.

"Mr. Laurens!" The host, a rotund man with a red face, boomed as they entered the foyer. Beside him stood a gaunt woman with haunting black eyes. "How wonderful that you could join us! Who is your friend?"

"Mr. McCullough, it is my pleasure to introduce my distant cousin, Mr. Alexander Laurens." John bowed graciously to the rotund man before gesturing to Alexander. Alexander bowed with less grace. His face burned with embarrassment.

"Welcome, sir." Mr. McCullough smiled. He did not ask any further questions about Alexander's lineage or breeding. Alexander was surprised. He had always believed that at such events, people came prepared with papers which proved that they were, in fact, better than everyone else.

"You have outdone yourself, Mrs. McCullough." John was good at being charming. Alexander watched him in surprise. He had never imagined how John might perform at functions like these before. Witnessing it was something surreal.

"Oh." Mrs. McCullough waved off John's compliment with a delighted, if not breathless, smile. "You flatter me, Mr. Laurens."

"Might I inquire as to whether or not the Schuyler family will be attending this evening?" John lowered his voice conspiratorially. Both Mr. and Mrs. McCullough leaned forward, obviously delighting in the gossip. "My cousin witnessed Miss Eliza Schuyler in the city today and was quite taken with her. I was hoping to make an introduction."

Alexander looked at John, his eyes wide in horror. He had not expected John to give away that information so freely. He had been hoping to ease into it, instead of walking around the ball with his heart written on his sleeve.

"The Schuylers are expected tonight, yes. As they have not yet arrived, I believe that I will rearrange the dinner table. How would you like to sit beside Miss Schuyler, Mr. Laurens? I believe that she will quite like you." Mrs. McCullough chattered, beaming at Alexander.

"I-if it's not too much trouble…" Alexander answered uncertainly. He bowed again.

"It was so sad to hear about the fellow that had been courting her earlier this year." Mr. McCullough remarked as Mrs. McCullough disappeared to change the seating arrangements. He clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Can you imagine? Not knowing that the man paying you court is a traitor?"

"Indeed?" Alexander's eyes widened. He had assumed that there were plenty of men courting Eliza, but he had never heard specifics. John refused to participate in gossip surrounding the Schuylers sisters, which was unfortunate, as he was the only one of Alexander's friends who was invited to the sort of events where such gossip circulated.

"You cannot blame Miss Schuyler, of course. She was the most taken in of all of us." Mr. McCullough hastened to explain.

"No one could think less of Miss Schuyler." John agreed, looking around dully. "Mr. McCullough, if you will excuse us - it appears that you have other guests to greet."

Mr. McCullough bowed to both of them. John took Alexander by the arm and guided him to a room that was presumably the ball room. Alexander stumbled along, looking around him in awe.

"You're doing well." John praised him as they entered the ballroom. He spoke in a low tone, so they would not be overheard. "Just don't act so quick oblige. The rich do not answer to anyone."

"Everyone answers to someone." Alexander protested. "God alone stands without judgment."

John rolled his eyes. "The Schuylers will arrive shortly. Have you thought about what you might say to them? Will you seek to be introduced, or will you wait until you're seated beside Miss Schuyler?"

"I did not think that I would make it this far." Alexander confessed. He wrung his hands nervously. "What do you think I ought to say? Do you think that she would respond better to a joke, or a witty comment?"

"I'm going to need a drink, if you insist on carrying on this way." John grumbled.

"Shall I fetch you a drink, sir?" A server, presumably a slave, inquired. She seemed to appear out of nowhere. John flinched. Alexander looked at him, hoping that John would not ask this poor woman for a thing. He hoped that John truly abhorred slavery the way that he did.

"No, ma'am. Thank you." John bowed to the server the way that he would have if Mrs. McCullough had offered him a drink. Alexander smiled in relief and did the same.

"Let's take our seats." John suggested as the server walked away, looking incredibly confused. Others were beginning to take their seats. More importantly, there was wine at the table.

Alexander nodded and followed John. Mrs. McCullough was standing by, waiting to show everyone to their seats. Alexander took a seat at the table, noting with some discomfort that John was seated across from him. He presumed that Eliza would be beside him. He did not know how well he would do without John at his elbow, guiding him through the process of being an aristocrat.

John suddenly rose to his feet, looking at something behind Alexander with what seemed like a tinge of nervousness. Alexander turned around to see what exactly he was looking at.

The Schuyler sisters.

"Mr. Laurens," Mrs. McCullough was beaming at Alexander as he stumbled to his feet. He managed a shaky bow in their direction before even being introduced. "May I introduce you to your dining partner this evening, Miss Eliza Schuyler?"

"Mr. Laurens, it's a pleasure to meet you." Eliza curtseyed to Alexander. Alexander had never dared himself to imagine that she would ever do such a thing. She owed him no such courtesy. Alexander bowed again, hoping that he did not appear ridiculous.

"I didn't know that you had a cousin, Mr. Laurens." Angelica, Eliza's older sister, remarked. She looked at John with an arched eyebrow. Alexander hoped that she would not pry.

"You can see why I would like to keep him hidden from society." John joked dryly. "For what chance to I have with the ladies, with a cousin like this?"

Alexander blushed, looking down at his shoes. He could feel Eliza's eyes on him. He wondered if he should say something to her. He felt as though too much time had gone on for him to say that he was pleased to meet her, too. He was sure that she could plainly see that he was; his heart was hammering against his chest at the mere feeling of her presence.

"Where are you from, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza asked, as Alexander pulled her chair out for her. She smiled at him, her two perfect dimples gracing her cheeks. Her eyes were sparkling. Alexander's legs wobbled underneath him.

"I, uh…" Alexander looked at John. John just smiled. He was still under the watchful eye of Angelica Schuyler. "South."

"South Carolina?" Eliza offered helpfully.

John's family was from South Carolina. It would make sense that Alexander was from South Carolina, too. He nodded.

"Do you like New York?" If Eliza thought that Alexander was acting strange, she didn't show it. She was smiling at him patiently. He took a seat beside her, his limbs trembling.

"I do." He confessed. He locked eyes with her. "I like it very much."

"Perhaps I could show you around town, if your cousin cannot be obliged." Eliza glanced at John, who was engaged in a conversation with her other two sisters.

"I would like that very much." Alexander agreed immediately.

They exchanged small smiles for a minute. Alexander took a long gulp of wine. He had imagined meeting Eliza so many times. Now that she was really here, sitting right beside him, Alexander could not think of a single thing to say.

"What do you do, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza asked after a moment.

"Oh." Alexander and John had worked on an answer to that question. It was much harder to recite the carefully crafted lie when Eliza's sparkling eyes were locked on his. "I own a few merchant vessels for the time being. With war on the horizon, I'm considering donating the vessels to General Washington's fleet and joining the fight."

"How brave! Are you sympathetic to the patriot cause?" Eliza's face lit up. Alexander wondered if he should be talking about any specific cause, after hearing that Eliza had been courted by a traitor.

"I am." Alexander agreed tentatively. "I believe that it is far time for this country to stand on its own as a meritocracy."

"I couldn't agree more. I always thought that it was so strange that one person should be considered better than another solely because of who their father is." Eliza said with a smile. She leaned just a bit closer to Alexander.

"Do you really?" Alexander could not resist asking. "You aren't glad that riff raff can be kept out of events like this?"

Eliza laughed and shook her head. Some of her dark, glossy hair spilled over her shoulder. "I think that riff raff might liven up these stuffy parties."

Alexander had never heard a sound better than Eliza's laugh. More people poured in, joining the party. Alexander knew that he was supposed to rise to his feet and greet every person who arrived at the table, but he could not be torn from his conversation with Eliza. She did not rise to her feet, either. Alexander hoped that she was equally engrossed in the conversation.

"Why attend these parties, if you don't like them?" He asked playfully.

"In the hopes that I will finally go to a ball worth attending. I've heard rumors that these things have the possibility of being fun." Eliza answered easily. She flicked her hair back over her shoulder. She didn't look away from Alexander's eyes.

"I'm enjoy this one immensely already." Alexander remarked, hoping that Eliza would understand that he was only enjoying the ball because he was with Eliza.

"Me, too." Eliza batted her eyelashes prettily.

"May I propose a toast?" Mr. McCullough said, holding up his wine glass. Alexander and Eliza exchanged reluctant smiles before looking away from each other. They both held up their wine glasses as well. "To the independence of these colonies!"

"Hear, hear!" John agreed loudly. Alexander grinned at him. He was glad that John behaved the same way in his fancy social circle.

Everyone clinked their wine glasses against the wine glasses of another. Alexander risked a glanced over at Eliza. She was looking at him. With a smile of relief, he offered his wine glass. She clinked hers against his. She smiled at him in a way that made him want to kiss her. He promised himself that before this evening - and the delusion that came with it - ended, he would kiss her.

"So, Mr. Laurens." Eliza returned her attention to Alexander again. Alexander wished that she would call him by his real name. "How long are you in New York?"

"I don't know." Alexander replied.

John had told him to tell people that he was only in town for the weekend; that he was stopping by New York to say hello to John before continuing to Massachusetts for some kind of investment opportunity. If he claimed to be in town any longer, he would be invited to more things. More people would hear about John Laurens' cousin from the South. There was a greater chance of Henry Laurens receiving a letter about his nephew if Alexander showed himself more than once. Alexander had agreed to John's plan, but that was before he met Eliza. That was before her eyes locked with his. Now, he didn't want to make any plans to disappear.

"What will you do when you leave New York?" Eliza wondered. Alexander did not miss the way that her eyes dropped to look at his left hand. She was looking for a wedding band.

"I will pursue an investment opportunity in Massachusetts." Alexander answered blandly. Eliza wrinkled her nose. Alexander chuckled and said, "I should not enjoy it nearly as much, now that I know what I'm leaving behind in New York."

"What do you do when you're not handling investors?" Eliza questioned, blushing.

"I write." It was one of the first things that Alexander told Eliza about himself that was true.

Eliza perked up. "What do you write?"

"All sorts of things, I guess. Poetry, politic pieces, short stories…" Alexander wished that he could tell Eliza that he had been published. He wished that he could proudly show her newspapers on which his name was printed.

"Poetry?" Eliza was smiling. "Is your poetry good?"

 _Good enough to be published on several occasions_.

"Some people think so." Alexander smiled, too.

"Would you consider writing me a poem?" Eliza asked, batting her eyelashes at him. "I would love little more than to receive a poem from you in the post. I never get mail nearly so exciting."

"I would be honored to correspond with you, Miss Schuyler." Alexander struggled to choke out the words. He looked around, unable to tamp down a smile. "In fact, I would be delighted to write you a poem right now, were I in possession of the proper materials."

"What would you write about?" Eliza inquired, tilting her head to the side. "I mean, how could you know what to say? You hardly know the first thing about me."

Alexander couldn't exactly tell Eliza that he knew far more about her than he was letting on. He had spent over a year watching her walk around the city. He knew which stores were her favorites. He knew which girls were her closest friends. He knew which church she attended. He knew that she smiled whenever a stray dog approached her. He knew that she was her prettiest when she was happy.

"Miss Schuyler, I could write an entire poem about your smile." He said, instead. He indulged himself, looking at her lips with ill-disguised longing.

Eliza's smile was sunnier than Alexander had ever seen it. He took delight in the fact that he had caused it. He had made her happier than the stray dogs on the street, just with his words.

"You certainly have a way with words, Mr. Laurens." She remarked.

The servers began serving the food. Alexander accepted with some reluctance that their private conversation would have to stop. John accepted his meal from his server with his own hands, instead of allowing them to set it in front of him. Alexander did the same. Most of the guests smiled at them indulgently and rolled their eyes. Eliza looked at Alexander, her eyes shining.

"So, Mr. Laurens." Mr. McCullough called the table's attention to John and Alexander. Alexander felt himself shrink back. He typically loved being the center of attention, but there was too much risked by being noticed now. If Eliza found out who he really was, she would never allow him to correspond with her. "Tell us about yourself. I feel like we know very little about a man we should have heard a great deal about."

Alexander smiled shyly. "I apologize, Mr. McCullough. The secrecy, I'm afraid, is entirely through fault of my own. I rarely write my cousin, Mr. Laurens, interesting enough letters to merit discussion. Often, they are droning letters about economic policy and investment decisions that I must make."

"A true man of business." Mr. McCullough approved. A few men nodded, smiling. "What do you make of what this war is doing to our economy?"

There were grumbles among the table.

"I think it's an interesting opportunity." Alexander answered, looking around hesitantly. No one of Mr. McCullough's status had ever asked him what he thought about anything before. "I think breaking from an economic structure that has proved to be volatile and untenable gives us an opportunity to enact some of the theories that men have been kicking around for years."

"What theory do you propose we utilize?" Another man asked, leaning forward.

"I think that depends on where the war takes us, if there's going to be a war." Alexander replied, his eyebrows furrowing. He enjoyed talking about these things. He finally knew what was going on. Economics made far more sense to him than aristocracy. "If we have the resources to consider mercantilism, we might do that. I don't think that we should vest our financial certainty on other countries. They're all terribly in debt to one another without a hope of paying the debts back. If the meritocracy ideal that the patriot cause seems so fond of works, maybe we ought to consider capitalism, as Adam Smith suggested in his book."

"You are well-read, Mr. Laurens." Mr. McCullough approved. He smiled playfully. "But do tell us about yourself beyond the banalities of every day work. Do you have an estate in South Carolina? Do you have a family? Is the society there more tolerable than the society here?"

"Certainly, I can say that the society here is more welcoming than any society that I've ever been a part of before." Alexander cast a glance in Eliza's direction. She was smiling at him, but she looked worried. He wondered if she thought that he was married. He was not wearing a wedding band; she had seen that for herself. "I do not yet have a family, though I do hope to have one when I find a woman who can tolerate me and my ideals."

"Perhaps you will find such a woman during your stay in New York." Mrs. McCullough remarked with a knowing smile.

Alexander blushed, his eyes dropping down to his plate.

"Perhaps." He agreed.

He did not dare look at Eliza.

* * *

After dinner, a string quartet began to play music. People began to pair up for dances. Alexander watched as Eliza spoke with Angelica. He pulled at his cravat nervously.

"Ask her to dance." John advised him. "Everyone knows that you want to. The longer it takes you to ask her, the more you embarrass you both."

"How do I ask her?" Alexander asked hopelessly.

"Alex, I've seen you speak to women before. You know how to do it; you're good at it." John's eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you think that I could speak to her the same way? Don't you think she'll find it too…forward?"

"Maybe, if you were some kid who works on the docks as a merchant's clerk, but you're rich. You're established. Everyone will just think that you're charming." John answered with a shrug. He looked around the room, looking uninterested. Alexander wondered if he was boring his best friend with his inner turmoil.

He nodded, gathering his self-confidence. He fought the urge to ask John more questions and instead crossed the ballroom. He approached Eliza. She and Angelica curtseyed as they approached. He bowed, forcing himself to smile as he straightened his posture again.

"Mr. Laurens." Angelica greeted him, her eyes boring into him. It felt like she could see right through him. Alexander's smile faltered a bit.

"Miss Schuyler." His eyes shifted to focus on Eliza. His smile grew more genuine. "Miss Schuyler, I was wondering if I might ask for the honor of your hand in a dance?"

"It would be my pleasure!" Eliza replied. She was smiling brightly. Her voice lilted with excitement. Alexander grinned at her, exhilarated by the thought that Eliza Schuyler had been excited to be asked to dance by him.

They walked out to the space of the ballroom where everyone was dancing. Alexander allowed himself to take Eliza by the hand. He pulled her close to him, trying very hard not to be distracted by her proximity. He reminded himself as they began to move that they were in front of two dozen people. He could not embarrass himself. He could not embarrass Eliza.

"You dance very well, Mr. Laurens." Eliza remarked as they glided across the floor.

"As do you, Miss Schuyler." Alexander smiled down at her. His heart hammered against his chest.

"Do you dance much in South Carolina?" She asked.

"Some." Alexander didn't want to lie to Eliza any more than he had to. "What do you do for fun, Miss Schuyler?"

"Oh." Eliza seemed surprised by this question. Alexander wondered if anyone had ever asked her such a question before. "I don't know. I go shopping in the city with my sisters fairly often. Sometimes, Angelica and I go to King's College and sneak into the library. She loves the books. I cook often, of course, and I help my mother run the house. I love children. I often look after my older brother's children."

Alexander realized that Eliza was beginning to list off domestic qualities which would make her appeal to a man as a potential wife. He shook his head, still smiling.

"I am sure that no one could run a better household than you, Miss Schuyler, but what do you do when you are not burdened with such obligations? Do you love books, like your sister? Do you prefer to shop for anything in particular?" He asked.

"I'm not sure I understand your meaning, Mr. Laurens." Eliza lowered her eyes demurely. "Why are you asking me these things?"

"I want to know everything about you, Miss Schuyler." Alexander's eyebrows furrowed. He hoped that he had not upset her. "Anyone can run a household. Only you can be Miss Elizabeth Schuyler."

"I…I love animals." Eliza looked at Alexander uncertainly. It was like she was waiting for Alexander's approval. He smiled at her gently. "And I enjoy listening to my sister read. I like riding horses. Sometimes I take the horse out by myself so that I don't have to ride sidesaddle!"

Alexander grinned down at Eliza. He loved her so much. He wished that he could hold her tighter. He wished that she would keep on talking forever. He wished that the night never had to end.

"I don't know why I told you that." Eliza confessed with a shy laugh.

"I'm glad that you did. I wish you would tell me everything, Miss Schuyler."

The song ended. Everyone clapped. Eliza curtseyed, her face red. Alexander bowed. Once he straightened his posture again, he clapped. He kept on smiling at Eliza. Her eyes were shining.

"I want to dance every dance with you, Miss Schuyler." Alexander told Eliza in a low voice.

"I'm flattered, Mr. Laurens." Eliza looked at the ground, blushing.

"I wish that you would call me Alexander." Alexander did not want Eliza to use John's last name anymore. He wanted this to feel real, even if it wasn't.

"Alexander." Eliza echoed, the corners of her mouth curving into a small smile. The traces of her dimples became visible. "It's a lovely name."

"Would you let me write you a poem?" Alexander asked. He had seen an office on his way to the ballroom. "I would really like to write you a poem."

"Right now? Right here?" Eliza looked around before looking up at Alexander again. She looked uncertain, but tempted. "Why, Alexander, I…"

"In the office." Alexander pleaded. The sound of Eliza saying his name was doing something unnatural to him. He took hold of her hand, pleading her with his eyes. "Where there's parchment and quills."

"I don't know if I should disappear with you." Eliza worried. "It would be terribly improper."

"I would never do you harm, Miss Schuyler." Alexander promised. He kept her hand in his, drawing her to the side of the ball room. As they walked, he noticed Angelica Schuyler's eyes on them. She seemed like a very protective older sister. "I just want to write you a poem. If anyone asked, you could always show them."

Eliza looked around, smiling shyly. "Okay."

Alexander did not wait around to be told twice. With a delighted smile, he hurried Eliza out of the ballroom and towards the office. If anyone noticed that they were leaving, they did not say so. Eliza giggled as their shoes clattered on the hallway floor.

They ran into the office. Alexander grabbed a piece of parchment and took a seat in the obviously expensive chair behind the desk. Eliza sat upon the chaise across the room, watching Alexander with an expression dangerously close to that of affection.

 _Before no mortal ever knew_

 _A love like mine so tender, true,_

 _Completely wretched - you away,_

 _And but half blessed e'en while you stay._

 _If present love does face_

 _Deny you to my fond embrace_

 _No joy unmixed my bosom warms_

 _But when my angel's in my arms._

Alexander acted as though he required a good amount of time to work out the words. In reality, he'd written this poem months ago. He had time enough to write dozens of poems about Eliza while waiting for a weekly sighting of her at the dock. He also liked the way that Eliza watched him while he wrote.

He spent the time that it took the quartet to play three songs working on the poem. When he was through, he rose to his feet and crossed the room. He handed the poem to Eliza. She accepted it shyly.

She started to read the first line. She looked up, noticing him standing before her. Still sporting the shy expression that was making Alexander's knees water, she patted the space beside her on the chaise.

"Why don't you sit?" She offered.

Alexander nodded, sitting at the very edge of the chaise. He wanted to be closer to her, of course, but he didn't want to scare her away. He watched her as she returned her attention to the parchment he'd handed her.

"I'm not as good with all of this as Angelica is," Eliza explained abashedly, her face reddening as she examined the parchment. "Poetry and words, I mean. I hope you'll forgive me for my ignorance."

"I will readily forgive you for all of your shortcomings, Miss Schuyler." Alexander assured her.

Eliza smiled as she read the rest of the poem.

It took her two and a half more songs to look up from the parchment. When she did, her eyes were brimming with tears. She turned to look at Alexander, her mouth curved into a smile of total adoration. It was a look that made Alexander want to kiss her.

"Alexander," She said. Her voice was full of a hushed reverence. "This is beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." Alexander replied sheepishly.

"I love it." Eliza breathed. "I love…"

Their eyes met. Their sentiments were wordlessly exchanged.

 _I love you_.

Eliza scooted closer to Alexander. Alexander watched her, afraid to hope for what he'd been wishing for since he'd first seen her. Once they were close enough that their legs brushed against each other, she leaned closer. Alexander could see lines where her dimples appeared etched into her cheeks. He could see where her makeup had started to smudge. He found himself leaning closer to her without meaning to.

She kissed him.

Alexander would never quite be able to believe it, but _Eliza Schuyler_ was the one to kiss _him_. If she hadn't kissed him first, of course, he probably would have broken down and begged her to allow him to kiss her, but this was much better. This allowed no doubt that she wanted the kiss just as much as he did.

His brain felt like it was melting. Alexander only had one coherent thought before it completely shut down on him - he needed to make this Eliza's best kiss. He needed her to want to kiss him again. He leaned into the kiss, cupping the sides of her face with his hands.

"Eliza." Angelica Schuyler's voice caused Alexander and Eliza both to jump and look to the doorway with guilt-riddled faces. Alexander felt like a teenager who had just been caught in a compromising situation. He hadn't felt that way in years. Not since he had left for the colonies, anyway. The familiarity of the situation might have made him laugh, were he not concerned about ruining his and Eliza's reputation.

"Angelica, I -"

Angelica smiled. The smile was directed purely at Eliza. "Honey, we've got to go. Papa asked us to return home before midnight."

"Is it that late already?" Eliza looked around the room for a clock.

"Dinner did start late." Alexander provided unhelpfully. Angelica rolled her eyes at him.

"Mr. Laurens, I…" Eliza rose to her feet, but turned to look at Alexander before joining her sister. "I mean, Alexander - it was a pleasure meeting you. I do hope that you will write me."

"It would be my honor." Alexander agreed, also rising to his feet.

"Come on, Eliza." Angelica sounded like she might be laughing. She linked arms with Eliza after Eliza made her way to the doorway. Both girls started for the door. Alexander followed after them, leaving a few feet of distance between himself and the two sisters.

"Goodnight, Alexander." Eliza called as they were helped into their family carriage.

"Goodnight, Mr. Laurens." Angelica contributed.

"Goodnight, Miss Schuyler." Alexander said, far too quietly for either of them to hear as the carriage drove away.


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you really think that she meant it when she asked me to correspond with her?" Alexander whispered to Hercules at church the next morning. He ignored the sharp looks that he received from those around them. "Would it be too forward of me to write her straight away?"

"Hammie, this is not the time." Hercules grumbled, burying his face in the bible. His father was the preacher at this particular church; he didn't want to be seen talking during the service.

"I cannot wait much longer, or she will think that I was insincere in my sentiments." Alexander complained. "If she truly wants me to write, of course."

"Hammie." Hercules shook his head.

"Hey." John slid into their pew, bumping against Hercules. He wasn't dressed for church. He was wearing a loud blue jacket. His face was red, but he was grinning from ear to ear. "Herc, would you mind terribly if I removed Alexander from his religious obligations for a moment?"

"God, no. Take him. Both of you, get out before you get me excommunicated." Hercules hissed.

"Don't take the lord's name in vain, Herc." Alexander reminded Hercules playfully, standing up and scooting past Hercules in the pew to get to John. Hercules glowered after them as they exited the church.

The moment that the heavy church doors closed behind them, John turned to face Alexander with an excited smile. His fingers tapped against his legs. He looked as though he was just restraining himself from grabbing ahold of Alexander out of sheer excitement. Alexander smiled, too. John's excitement was contagious, if not slightly worrisome.

"General Washington is taking residence with me during his stay in New York." John told Alexander, his voice hitching up an octave. He was practically trembling. After hearing the news, Alexander was practically trembling, too.

"John, but that's - that's superb! Are you going to apply for a command? Surely he would grant you one, being your houseguest. Which command would you choose? Cavalry, surely. You are best on a horse. You are a good shot, too, of course, but that precision can carry -"

"Alexander." John interrupted him with a laugh. "What about you?"

"Well, what about me?" Alexander echoed uncertainly.

John rolled his eyes and clapped Alexander on the back. Out of excitement, the motion was a bit rougher than it typically was. Alexander winced.

"I know you better than I know myself. I know that you're already thinking of excuses and reasons to come over to my estate to introduce yourself to General Washington - you want a command just as badly as I do! Why don't you get a letter of introduction from one of the merchants that you work for and come over this evening?" John suggested, still laughing.

Alexander smiled bashfully. He had been thinking of ways that he might find himself in the same room as General Washington. He was sure that if he could only meet the man, he could impress him enough to get an officer's rank. If he could acquire a command, he would have a title in his own right. He could deserve Eliza on his own; he could deserve the respect of the upper class on his own. He could finally make something of himself.

"Not the merchants." He told John, shaking his head. "The General does not think much of merchants, beyond the goods they have to offer. If I'm not mistaken, I believe his stepson is a privateer."

John shrugged. He knew far less about General Washington than Alexander did. He didn't have to know as much; his name and wealth already gave him an advantage. "Who, then?"

"Perhaps one of my professors. They are more learned men, after all. They may be able to convince the General that I am an educated man worth employing in a higher rank than the average inductee." Alexander reasoned hopefully.

"That is, of course, better than my suggestion." John wrinkled his nose, pretending to be annoyed. Alexander saw right through the act. John had never been annoyed with him before. They were far too good of friends for that.

"I should wait for the Dean outside of his office." Alexander looked over his shoulder at the church regretfully. "I really meant to start back up with church, you know."

"I know." John agreed. His smile said otherwise.

Alexander smiled, too. "I'll be on my way, then. Would you let me know when I should stop by to meet the General? I shouldn't like to come by when he's in a foul mood. I've heard his temper leaves something to be desired."

"Why don't you come for dinner this evening? I'll be sure to serve plenty of wine. No one can be too foul tempered when there's good food and plentiful wine." John offered.

Alexander nodded, his brows furrowing. He resisted the temptation to bite at his fingernails. He was trying to break the habit, now that he was receiving chances to rise up in society.

"That should give me enough time to ask the Dean for a letter of recommendation. I believe he will hurry the task, if I tell him that I am to meet General Washington." He said.

"Good." John approved. "Then I shall see you this evening. Would you like for me to send a carriage?"

"No." Alexander replied. "I want to be honest with the General - I want him to know that I am an unpretentious man with a lot to gain from military service. I don't want him to think that I am a rich young man dallying in the military to pass the time."

"Hmm." John cast Alexander a sardonic smile. "I wonder which young men you could be talking about."

"You know that I do not mean you when I speak of entitled rich men." Alexander assured his friend, rolling his eyes. "You're different than all of them. Now, I really must be off. Goodbye, John."

"Goodbye, Alexander." John seemed to sigh as Alexander turned on his heel and hurried in the direction of King's College.

* * *

 _My dearest Miss Schuyler,_

 _I do hope that my letter does not come as an unhappy intrusion. I have heard that a gentlemen ought to wait a suitable amount of time before imposing a letter upon a young lady, but I could not force myself to wait any longer. I long only to hear your voice. Alas, I have crossed out the last sentence, as I do not wish to beguile you with a lie. I long for more than your voice._

 _I long to see your face again._

 _I long for those beautiful dark eyes to be settled on me again._

 _I long to kiss those sweet lips again._

 _I long for you._

 _On perhaps a more welcomed subject, I am pleased to tell you that I intend to dine with General Washington this evening. I am hoping to join the rebel cause, serving under the finest man set forth by our country. I share this hope with you in the strictest of confidence - I wish for nothing more than a command in the military. I hope that if I can impress General Washington this evening, he will let me serve as one of his subordinate officers._

 _My darling Miss Schuyler, I hope that you will do me the honor of a letter. You may send it to my cousin's estate. He will pass on the post (though I must advise you to carefully pack your letter in a sturdy envelope - my cousin has been known to read others' letters through especially thin envelopes!)._

 _Yours, if only in spirit,_

 _Alexander_

Alexander quickly sealed the letter to Eliza. He crossed the room and plucked his finest jacket - still not half as fine as the emerald jacket that Hercules had lent him for the ball - off of the coatrack in the corner of his dormitory room. He shrugged on the jacket and slipped the letter into his jacket pocket, along with the letter of introduction that the Dean had hastily written him after Alexander had fitfully explained the necessity of having it within the hour.

He then exited his room, sweeping down the hall with an air of importance that he had no right to. Other men in the halls waved and called out to him. Alexander smiled to himself. He was popular among his peers. He hoped that that popularity would translate when he joined the military.

He dropped the letter to Eliza in the basket at the front door of the dormitory. The postman would pick it up and distribute the letters the next day. Alexander took special care to ensure that he placed the correct letter in the basket - it wouldn't do to send Eliza a letter of introduction while General Washington received a love letter.

Once he was certain that the love letter would be sent to Eliza and the letter of introduction would remain with him, Alexander emerged from the dormitory. He hurried through the streets of New York towards the Laurens' estate. He would have to borrow a horse from the inn - John's house was nearly six miles away.

"Hello, Christopher." He walked past the inn towards the stables without stopping. The owner of the inn, Christopher Yaw, was dumping out a bucket of what might have been dirty water. "I'm going to borrow Firebrand."

"Hamilton." Christopher acknowledged him gruffly. "Water him down and bring him back before sun-up tomorrow. His owner doesn't like me loanin' him out to people."

"I know the rules." Alexander agreed, casting Christopher a smile. He walked into the stables and walked straight for the stall that he knew Firebrand was kept in. Firebrand's owner was typically drunk at the inn by nightfall; consequently, the horse had become Alexander's favorite to borrow. He always brought a carrot with him. Firebrand seemed to appreciate having a sober rider every once in a while.

He quickly tacked Firebrand and brought him out of the stable. Outside, he mounted the horse and rode off towards John's estate.

It was a peaceful ride, as was the case for most estates of wealthy people. Those who could afford to live outside of the chaotic city typically did. Alexander wasn't sure that he was meant to be wealthy, if it meant living uptown.

"Hamilton!" John called to him as he rode up the gravel walkway leading to his estate. Alexander did not miss that John used his last name to address him. He knew what that meant; General Washington was present.

John met Alexander as he dismounted. He held Firebrand's bridle, stroking the side of his face with a smile. Alexander smiled at the sight of him. He handed over the reins as a stable hand stepped forward to water down Firebrand.

"You must be Mr. Hamilton." A deep voice commanded Alexander's attention. Alexander's heart jumped into his throat as he turned to face the man who could determine his fate in a matter of seconds.

General Washington.

He looked younger than Alexander had expected him to. He was taller, too. He was dressed very simply for such a rich man. The only thing that matched Alexander's expectations was the way that he carried himself; with confidence, like a man with nothing left to prove.

"Your Excellency." Alexander bowed low. If he could have bowed low enough to scrape his nose against the dirt, he would have.

When he straightened his posture again, Alexander was startled to see that Washington was smiling. It was a slight smile, nothing too warm, but it was enough to make Alexander smile, too.

"Mr. Laurens speaks of little other than you." Washington remarked, still smiling slightly. Beside him, John's ears reddened. Alexander cast him a grateful look. "You must tell me about your studies over supper. I always imagined that I would like college very much, if I was given the chance to attend."

"Yes, sir. It is quite rewarding to allow oneself only academic burdens for a few select years." Alexander agreed.

"But you don't only have academic burdens, do you?" Washington looked over his shoulder as they began to walk back to John's estate. Alexander hurried to walk by his side. It was impolite to require a man like George Washington to look back at him. "John tells me that you work for the merchants."

"I don't consider that much of a deviation from learning, sir." Alexander answered quickly. He didn't want Washington to think that he was trying to hide anything about himself. "For I learn something new every day on that job. Just yesterday, I learned the value of a lemur from Madagascar."

"What is the value of a lemur?" Washington seemed amused.

"Sixty pounds." Alexander answered with a grin.

"And what is the approximate value of a barrel of whiskey?" Washington's smile turned into something beyond amusement. He was challenging Alexander, it seemed.

"About twenty pounds, give or take. Depends on the quality and the origin, sir." Alexander replied without a pause.

"And the value of one-hundred yards of linen?" Washington inquired as they stepped into the house. He removed his hat and overcoat. He looked around for a server to take both items from him. He seemed surprised when a white butler hustled forward with a bow.

"Seventy-six pounds, sir. Assuming that the linen is from England." Alexander spoke without delay yet again. He wondered why Washington was questioning him about the price of everything, but he would not let Washington see his confusion.

"Hm." Washington looked him over, appraising him. He then looked over at John and smiled. "You were right. Sharp as a tack."

John smiled at Alexander approvingly. They weren't making fun of him - this was good.

"Let us discuss this over supper." John recommended, gesturing towards the dining room. It was candlelit and set with an elaborate dinner. It looked finer than any of the times that Alexander had dined with John, just one-on-one.

All three men entered the dining room. John sat at the head of the table - a proper position for him while his father was away. Washington sat at John's right side. Alexander sat to his left.

"I've heard that you are a zealous advocate for revolution, Mr. Hamilton." Washington remarked as the first course was served. It was a small plate of cheese and grapes. It was terribly sophisticated. Alexander never ate more than one course on his own.

"Yes, sir." Alexander affirmed. He waited for John to eat first. He didn't know if rich people ate grapes with their hands, or with forks.

"Mr. Laurens tells me that you've been published in New York papers several times, refuting those who condemn the actions of our continental Congress." Washington continued as though he hadn't even heard Alexander. He popped a grape into his mouth with effortless confidence. Alexander hastened to do the same.

"Yes, sir." He mumbled, swallowing the grape and nodding furiously.

"I would be interested in reading your letter, if you still possess a copy." Washington said. He looked at Alexander right in this eyes, his gaze unflinching and unwavering. He was so sure of himself. Alexander envied that quality terribly.

"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed immediately. If he didn't have a copy, he would hand-copy the school library's edition of the newspaper. He would do anything to impress Washington.

"Good. I will have Mr. Laurens give you the address." Washington said, calmly sipping some of his tea. He had to know what a gift he was bequeathing. Permission to correspond with George Washington was very sought-after and rarely achieved.

"Yes, sir." Alexander responded. His voice sounded weak to his own ears.

Washington seemed amused by him. He seemed amused that Alexander was so grateful for every ounce of kindness that he was given. Alexander didn't mind Washington's evident amusement. He had heard far worse things about Washington's temperament and behavior. If laughing at him was the worst that Washington did, Alexander would be delighted.

Alexander looked down, hoping to eat a few more grapes before the next course. He so rarely got to enjoy fresh fruit that was not a few days overripe. When he looked down, he was surprised to see that the grapes were gone. They were shortly replaced by the second course, some sort of soup or porridge. Alexander tentatively dipped in his spoon and took a sip. It wasn't very good.

"How are your crops faring, General?" John finally cut into the conversation again. Alexander could not forget that John, too, wanted a job from Washington. John was guaranteed one, though. His breeding and schooling made him a prime candidate for an officer.

"Very well, thank you for asking." Washington's smile was authentic. He enjoyed talking about his crops. Alexander made a mental note of this. "I believe that my tobacco crops will be quite fine this year. I have planted a new crop this year, as well. It's a strand of grapes that comes from the Spanish colonies."

"Is that right?" John knew more about agriculture than Alexander did, but only barely. "How are they looking?"

"Very good, I believe. It is hard to tell when one cannot go to the country of origin and witness their growth and the best techniques to grow them with. It's something of an experiment in every sense." Washington chuckled.

John laughed, too. Alexander just smiled. He didn't want to impose himself on John's opportunity to ingratiate himself with Washington. After all, John had already done him a massive favor in orchestrating their introduction.

* * *

The rest of the evening proceeded on in that manner. Washington and John spoke of little other than agriculture and horticulture, while Alexander made himself as amiable as he could. Washington would occasionally ask him a question, which Alexander always knew the answer to. Washington would always smile when Alexander got an answer right. It was a private smile, one that let everyone know that the reason he was smiling was much less obvious that what they could glean from the interaction.

After dinner, the three men walked around the Laurens estate. Washington complimented John on some plant that Alexander did not recognize. Alexander added his own compliments, though John would know that they were not genuine.

It was nearly nine o'clock when Washington suggested leaving. He kept early hours, he said, and still had to write his wife a letter before the night was out. He seemed to gentle, if only slightly, at the mention of his wife. Alexander made a note of this. If given the opportunity to meet Mrs. Washington, he would have to impress her.

"Thank you for an enjoyable evening, Mr. Laurens." Washington said as he stood on the doorstep. His carriage was behind him. He nodded to John. John bowed in response. "I should like to send you a letter of employment, if you are still desirous of becoming one of my aides."

"Yes, sir." John agreed willingly.

Alexander wanted to be happy for his friend, but he couldn't help but notice the way that his heart sank. He wanted to be offered that job. He wanted to be offered any job, really.

"Mr. Hamilton." Washington addressed him. He nodded again. Alexander bowed lower than John, even. "You earned every bit of testimony that Mr. Laurens had given on your behalf prior to our introduction. I hope that I will be able to find a use for you in my camp very soon."

"Yes, sir." Alexander was disappointed that he wasn't being offered a job, like John was, but there was still hope. Washington had been impressed enough with him to keep him as an option.

"Gentlemen." Washington bowed this time. It was a very respectful gesture. The man seemed to inevitably know and abide by every rule of etiquette without a second thought. "Good evening."

"Good evening." Alexander and John echoed as he climbed into his carriage.

As Washington's carriage clattered off down the driveway, John turned to Alexander. Even in the dark, Alexander could see his breathless smile.

"Did that really just happen?" John wondered, still smiling.

"Congratulations." Alexander said. He almost meant it.

"I'll petition for you from the moment that I arrive at camp, of course." John set to work reassuring Alexander. "You'll be Colonel Hamilton in no time at all!"

Alexander returned the smile, somewhat hesitantly. He did not doubt that John would speak highly of him to Washington, but he doubted that he would be permitted to join the club that seemed to favor the wealthy.

"Come," John seemed to sense Alexander's cynicism. He clapped Alexander's shoulder with his hand, still smiling. "There is still much wine and food left in the kitchen. Let us celebrate and formulate a plan for getting you at camp with me!"

Alexander smiled blearily as he followed John back to the mansion.


	4. Chapter 4

_My dearest Alexander,_

 _I am sure that I have done nothing to deserve your words or your affections._

 _Have you already traveled on to Massachusetts? If not, Father would very much like to have you to our home for supper. He was impressed by what little Angelica and I could tell him of you. He writes to your uncle, informing him of the superior opinion that we all hold of you._

 _If you are in Massachusetts, do tell me what it is like. Tell me what South Carolina is like, as well. I have never traveled outside of New York before. I would like very much to know if remaining here is a privilege or a curse._

 _Fondly yours,_

 _Elizabeth Schuyler_

Alexander proudly showed John and Hercules Eliza's letter. Hercules grunted and went back to pinning the new uniform that John had commissioned him to make. John rolled his eyes at Alexander, despite the fact that he looked like the most ridiculous person in the room with his arms held up and out like an awkward bird.

"We're going to have to do something about General Schuyler writing to my father." John remarked dismally. "He'll kill us both if he finds out that we've been passing you off as one of our own. According to him, the family name is nothing to make light of."

"Oh, I'll tell her not to let her father write yours." Alexander dismissed John's concern.

Hercules let out an amused noise. "You've exchanged one letter with her and already feel that you're in a position to tell her what to do?"

"It's hardly anything substantial." Alexander protested.

"That depends on who you ask." John responded, his eyes narrowing. "It is quite substantial to me."

"Let us stop focusing on General Schuyler's letter for one minute!" Alexander implored his friends. He rose to his feet, looking at both of them pleadingly. "Eliza Schuyler wrote me a letter. Me! There is a possibility that she might return my affections!"

"She kissed you." John reminded Alexander impatiently. "She must already return your affections."

"Or she thinks he's handsome enough to risk her reputation." Hercules might have been joking. It was difficult to tell when he was so focused on his work.

Alexander bit his upper lip, thinking. "If I can just get a commission from General Washington - it wouldn't be unthinkable for me to court her as myself then, would it?"

"How are you going to tell her that you're really Alexander Hamilton?" Hercules inquired dully. " _Hello Miss Schuyler. I misinformed you about my identity in the past; I am really a pauper's son who clawed his way up to General Washington's employ. Would you allow me to pay you court_?"

"Your impression of me? Uncanny." Alexander bit back sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. He knew that Hercules was right, though. He did not know how to tell Eliza the truth. He was too entrenched in the lie. She was writing him letters under his false name. She might not take kindly to being lied to. It might be enough to make her hate Alexander. Alexander did not know if it was better to be hated by her than it was to be unknown to her.

"He has a point." John remarked. "Miss Schuyler values very little over honesty, especially after that messy business with the traitor courting her."

"Then why did you let me lie to her?" Alexander frowned.

"What was I to do? Tell you no?" John seemed wounded by Alexander's placement of the blame.

"Yes!" Alexander and Hercules said at the same time. For once, they agreed.

"Well!" John did not have a defense to Alexander and Hercules' accusations. He scowled down at Hercules, who was now cuffing his trousers. "Don't ask, if you don't want me to say yes. Why don't you just worry about getting appointed by General Washington? Once you are in his service, you will be able to court any young lady you wish. I am certain that there is another woman who is Miss Schuyler's equal, if not superior."

Alexander glowered at John. John was always trying to talk Alexander out of devoting himself to Eliza entirely. He did not seem to understand that Alexander did not want any other young lady.

"Perhaps if I told her that I was so desperate to meet her…" Alexander suggested weakly. "Perhaps if she understood that it was the only way…"

"Perhaps." John agreed, equally weakly.

"Perhaps." Hercules echoed dubiously.

"Best get the commission first. Just in case." John added.

"And when you do," Hercules forced John's arms down, scowling at him as he examined his work. He then turned to look at Alexander, frowning. "Get someone else to make your damned uniform."

* * *

"I can't believe that you're leaving tomorrow." Alexander remarked glumly.

He was taking inventory of a ship full of exotic fruits from South America - a ship that would easily make half a million pounds for its cargo - while John followed him around. John was leaving for Washington's camp the next morning. He and Alexander were spending as much time together as possible, while they still could.

"Camp is just a few miles away." John offered unhelpfully.

"Washington won't let you take leave very often." Alexander knew that he would rarely see John once he left for camp. If he were in John's shoes, he would never leave Washington's side. Not until he had secured an officer's commission, anyway.

"He'll let me take leave often enough. And besides, with the way he speaks of you, I don't doubt that you'll be joining me at camp in no time at all. I think…oh." John trailed off as they stepped off of the ship and onto the dock.

Alexander looked up from his parchment, frowning at John. He saw that John was looking towards the city, his eyes wide and his mouth downturned. Alexander followed his eyes. His own mouth popped open when he saw Angelica Schuyler walking through town. She was looking around, her eyes surveying everything. She would see Alexander in just a few short seconds.

"I'll distract her." John was already moving towards the shops.

Alexander looked around for somewhere to take cover. He peeked after a few seconds, hoping that the crisis had been averted.

He caught sight of John walking alongside of Angelica Schuyler. He looked nervous. Angelica was looking around for something while John tried to lead her towards a ribbon shop.

Alexander turned away and ducked his head, hoping not to be recognized. If Angelica saw him, it would be difficult enough to explain why he was not in Massachusetts, like he had told Eliza. It would be impossible to explain why he was wearing ratty clothes and walking up and down the docks with a stack of parchment. Rich men left such menial tasks to men of inferior ranking, like Alexander.

" _Aha_!" Alexander heard Angelica's triumphant exclamation followed by the sound of heels clattering against the dock. His heart sank. He hurried towards the nearest ship. Before he could step aboard, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Alexander turned around with reluctance. Angelica had grabbed hold of him. She was watching him critically, like she could read his thoughts. John was standing behind her, looking at Alexander apologetically.

"What's a wealthy merchant like you doing on the docks, Mr. Laurens?" She demanded, her eyes narrowed. She took in Alexander's clothing. "And what compelled you to put on such a costume?"

"I, uh..." Alexander looked to John for help.

"Alexander is..." John struggled. "He's just..."

"Poor?" Angelica suggested the word like it was something contemptible.

"No!" John protested, his voice rising an octave as panic got the better of him. "No, of course not, he's just -"

"You better think long and hard before you lie to me a second time." Angelica spoke directly to Alexander. She was not even looking at John. "If you lie to me again, I'm going to tell Eliza what I think is going on - you're poor and John is lying to every decent household in New York to elevate your position and bank account."

Alexander's shoulders slumped in resignation. There was a chance that Angelica would tell Eliza the truth even if he was honest with her, but it was worth the opportunity to justify himself.

"Okay..." He said, looking down at the ground. "You're right. I am poor. I'm not related to John - not even a little. My name is Alexander Hamilton. I work here to afford an education at King's College."

Angelica reeled back, as one did before throwing their weight into a physical attack. Alexander closed his eyes and braced himself. He deserved to be smacked. He had lied to Angelica and her sister. He had deceived them all.

He did not anticipate being punched square in the nose. Ladies did not punch. He stumbled back, his hand shooting up to the throbbing piece of flesh. A few passersby laughed and howled. Angelica shook out her hand, looking as though she, too, was in pain.

"Are you just trying to take my sister's money?" She demanded, tucking her red fist under her other arm. She scowled at Alexander, obviously trying her best to ignore the pain she was in.

"No!" Alexander responded immediately. He wiped some blood from his nose, looking at her reproachfully. "I didn't want anything other than the chance to meet her."

"Why, if not for the money?" Angelica asked skeptically.

"I love her." Alexander answered, looking down at his shoes uncomfortably. "You can't know what it's like - someone like me, loving someone like her. For the past year and a half, I've spent every day clinging on to the hope that maybe, if I was lucky, I'd see her today. If I was really lucky, she'd be smiling. Seeing her was the high point of my week, every week. So, yes, when the opportunity to meet her came up, I took it. I'm not proud that I misled her, but I'm not sorry, either. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant seeing her again."

Angelica looked angrier. She let out a frustrated noise and looked back at John. John, whose face had gone pale, simply shrugged. She turned to look at Alexander again.

"She thinks that you're going to _marry_ her."

"She does?" Alexander perked up a bit. "Does she want to marry me?"

"That doesn't matter!" Angelica exclaimed angrily. "My father would never let you anywhere _near_ her if he knew the truth about you."

"But he doesn't know who I am, yet." Alexander tried to say. "I could still earn her in my own right."

"How?" Angelica demanded.

"General Washington." John interjected. Angelica turned to look at John severely. John took a step back apprehensively.

"General Washington suggested that he may wish to employ me." Alexander quickly removed Angelica's attention from John. He could tell that John was afraid of her. He kept looking at Alexander's bloody nose with ill-disguised horror. "If he employs me as an aide, like John, I would be a Lieutenant Colonel. I would have enough status that courtship would be appropriate."

"What will you do if you become Lieutenant Colonel? Tell my sister that you lied to her in the first place?" Angelica demanded cynically.

"That was a bit of an oversight." Alexander admitted.

"An _oversight_?" Angelica echoed incredulously. "My sister is in love with you!"

Alexander tried to bite back a smile. It was an inappropriate to smile at that moment, but it was hard not to. Eliza loved him. He had never imagined a world in which Eliza could love him.

"He could say that he assumed my family last name as a young man, when his own father had abandoned him." John suggested. "That would explain why he used my last name, though his own is actually Hamilton."

Angelica pursed her lips, but didn't object.

"Why didn't you suggest that sooner?" Alexander demanded.

"I just thought of it!" John replied defensively.

Alexander let out an annoyed huff and looked at Angelica. He gestured to her with an air of finality.

"I'll attain a position with General Washington. Once I do that, I'll explain everything to Eliza. Then I'll move on from an aide to an officer, and I'll ask for her hand. Your father is a military man. He'll respect me if I have a position." He explained.

"I don't like it." Angelica declared. She didn't take her eyes off of Alexander. "But it could work."


	5. Chapter 5

Angelica insisted on helping Alexander and John get Alexander a commission with General Washington, despite their numerous objections. She claimed that she did not trust them to accomplish anything on their own. Neither Alexander nor John were brave enough to object.

It was just as well. John's attention was divided, with his new position at Washington's camp. Most days, it was only Angelica who showed up at the dock to suggest new ideas to Alexander. Some days, she showed up without ideas. Some days, they just talked about everything other than getting Alexander a position.

It was a Saturday afternoon when Angelica showed up with a letter in her hand and a frown on her face.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hamilton." She greeted him in her customary way, waiting on the dock for him to come to her.

Alexander set down his parchment and quill, wiping the excess ink off of his hands and onto his pants.

"Miss Schuyler," He admonished her, as he always did. "I've told you a thousand times to just call me Alexander."

"General Washington plans to pull his troops from New York at the end of the month." Angelica held out the letter to Alexander without acknowledging his request.

"What?" Alexander reached for the letter, scanning its contents with furrowed brows.

 _My dearest darling,_

 _Do not begrudge my absence in the months to come, for the General has decided that it is time for us to spread our resources beyond New York. He does not tell us where we are to go. I think that he worries of spies and deception._

 _I beseech you, remain true in my absence, as I shall in yours._

 _With all my love,_

 _Colonel Moore_

Alexander ignored the romantic intonation of the letter, as he was certain that Angelica had not showed him the letter to prompt a conversation about her romantic affairs.

"I'd been hoping that Colonel Moore would be able to help with your assent." Angelica explained despite Alexander's lack of questions. She worried at her upper lip with her teeth, looking thoroughly annoyed. "I cannot believe that I wasted all of those weeks flirting with him for nothing."

"How am I supposed to be appointed within a week?" Alexander ignored her despair about wasting too much time on a beau. That was none of his business.

"I don't know." Angelica admitted. Alexander was fairly certain that this was the first time that he had ever heard her use those three words in that specific order. "Can't Mr. Laurens help you at all?"

"Not in a week." Alexander shook his head.

"Do you know if General Washington will be back to New York? Maybe in a few months?" Angelica asked hopefully.

"I don't even know that the war will last a few months." Alexander sighed, sitting down on the dock and frowning down at his hands. Discouragement threatened to swallow him whole.

"What else could you do, if the war ends?" Angelica sat down right beside him, completely against all rules of etiquette and decorum.

Alexander looked around, hoping that there were no well-bred ladies or gentlemen witnessing Angelica's impropriety. He didn't want to be responsible for her ruin. Once he was satisfied that no one was looking, he shook his head and looked down at his hands again.

"I don't know. The war's my chance to get ahead without worrying about money or status or land. Without the war, no matter how it ends, I don't think there's much chance for me at all." He confessed glumly.

"That is a terrible attitude to have." Angelica remarked, casting Alexander a disapproving look. "You're in school, are you not? Could you not make connections with remarkable young men in your classes? Would they be unwilling to employ you?"

"I don't want to work for any of them. They're all idiots." Alexander dismissed the idea straight away.

"Most people are idiots. What's wrong with working for them besides that?" Angelica wondered.

"It's not…I just…there isn't anything remarkable about working at someone's bank, is there? Or being a lawyer in one hundred debt cases? Nothing about any of that seems at all important, so why should I do it?"

"Because you need status in order to marry my sister." Angelica raised an eyebrow at him, like he had gone crazy. "And because not every job you're going to do is going to change the world. Look at your job right now."

"This is different. This is paying me through school." Alexander tried to justify his clerkship.

"Being a lawyer isn't so bad. You don't have to do debt cases. You could work on cases with murders and spies and treason. That's sort of exciting, isn't it?" Angelica suggested.

Alexander sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. It's not what I thought I'd do."

"Do you always pout when things don't go exactly right for you?" Angelica demanded.

"I do not!" Alexander protested, sitting up a bit straighter.

"Yes, you do!" Angelica rose to her feet, looking down at Alexander critically. Alexander scrambled to his feet, huffing in indignation. "If you're going to sit here and lament because everything is not going perfectly in the world of Mr. Hamilton, I shall go home and never look back. My dear Eliza deserves better."

Alexander clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know what to do." His clenched jaw made his words sound venomous.

"Don't accept defeat." Angelica was speaking more like a general than she was a lady. "Write General Washington a letter. Go to the camp yourself. Find out whose dinner parties he's attending through the week. Do something, anything, to make sure that he remembers your name when he leaves."

Alexander turned back to the ships at the end of the dock, scowling. Angelica was right. He knew that. That didn't make it any less infuriating to agree with her.

"Hey." John Laurens had a knack for showing up at the worst times.

Alexander turned to look at him. Angelica had turned to look at him, too. John took an uncertain step back, his smile slipping from his face.

"Is this a bad time?" He asked.

"Why didn't you tell me that Washington was moving his camp out of New York?" Alexander found that it was easier to redirect his anger at John than it was to admit that Angelica was right.

John's eyes widened. "I was just coming to tell you. How did you find out?"

"Colonel Moore." Angelica replied dismissively.

"He shouldn't be telling anyone that - General Washington only made up his mind to move last night." John disapproved.

"What am I supposed to do?" Alexander demanded.

"General Washington likes you!" John didn't understand Alexander's anger. He looked between Alexander and Angelica helplessly. "You just have to be patient."

Both Alexander and Angelica blinked, not understanding the meaning of the word "patient".

"You could start a small company here." John surveyed the port with a cynical expression. "No frills, of course. Maybe a cannon or two, sixty or so men. You could probably get Herc involved. If you work hard, maybe your company will be chosen to accompany General Washington's troops. From there, he might promote you."

"Who on Earth is Herc and why are we getting them involved?" Angelica demanded.

"He's a friend. A tailor." Alexander answered.

"How is he going to help you? Are you in the market for a new coat?" Angelica snarked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at John critically.

"He is a good man." John replied, looking thoroughly offended. "He would be an excellent leader for any company. He will help Alexander put together a company with minimal difficulty."

"I think that I would like to meet him." Angelica said.

"Why? Do you feel compelled to intervene in yet another military affair?" John huffed in exasperation.

"I may just want a pretty dress." Angelica glowered at John.

"It's worth a try to ask him." Alexander was not listening to the petty argument taking place between John and Angelica. He didn't mind either of them intervening on his behalf.

* * *

"Yes." Hercules surprised everyone by agreeing to Alexander's proposal without demanding any convincing. Both Alexander and John had agreed that Alexander would almost certainly have to bribe Hercules with half of his wages for at least a month.

" _Yes_?" John did not have the good sense to take the desirable answer the second it presented itself.

"Thank you." Alexander did. "I will file the paperwork immediately. Do you know where we will be able to find men?"

"I think between your classmates and my patrons, we may be able to come up with the quota." Hercules replied thoughtfully. He looked around the tailor's shop thoughtfully. "What brought you to consider this possibility, Hamilton?"

"Eliza." Angelica remarked.

"Naturally." Hercules rolled his eyes.

"No, _Eliza_." Angelica's voice had taken on a semi-urgent tone.

"Yes, I am aware of your sister, Miss Schuyler." Hercules turned to look at Angelica. He afforded her one of his gruff looks. Alexander grinned at Hercules, amused by this exchange.

"No, you silly man! _Eliza is coming this way_!" Angelica pushed John, knocking him right into Alexander. Alexander stumbled back towards the curtains that Hercules' patrons changed behind. Once he found his footing, he looked to the entrance of the tailor's shop. He could just barely make out Eliza's silhouette. Her glossy hair shined in the sunlight. One small, slippered foot entered the shop.

"Alexander?"

Alexander disappeared behind the curtain before he was forced to make eye contact with Eliza. He looked around frantically, searching for an escape route or a set of clothes that did not make him look like a pauper.

"Angelica," The sound of Eliza's voice was louder this time. She was in the shop. Alexander resisted the urge to leap out from behind the curtains just to see her. "Was Alexander Laurens just here? Oh, Mr. John Laurens - now I know that he's here! Mr. Laurens, are you in here?"

"He's, erm, he's trying on new coats!" John said. "Isn't that right, Mr. Mulligan? Weren't you just bringing Alexander those new coats he requested?"

"Oh." Eliza's voice could barely be heard over a loud shuffling noise which had suddenly filled the shop. Alexander assumed that it was Hercules, searching for the coats that John had demanded. Alexander hoped that Hercules knew to bring other fine things besides the coat. "But when did he return from Massachusetts? I only received a letter from him two weeks ago and he said nothing of returning."

Hercules poked his head through the curtain. While Alexander felt panicked, Hercules just looked annoyed. He looked as though this were nothing more than an imposition on him, instead of being a potentially life-ruining moment in Alexander's life.

"Here." Hercules grunted, throwing a coat at Alexander.

" _Pants_ , Herc." Alexander pleaded, looking down at his own clothes in ill-disguised horror. "I need pants. And shoes. And, well, a shirt."

"You need an entire outfit in _your_ size?" Hercules asked with such incredulity that Alexander couldn't help but feel offended. He was certain that his size was not an unusual one. He may have been a bit on the short side, but he was hardly an abnormality.

"Mr. Laurens, is that you?" Eliza called out to him.

"Oh, uh, hello Miss Schuyler." Alexander tried to keep his voice level.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza wondered.

Alexander wished that she would stop using his false name. The more she used the name, the more he had to answer to it. The more he had to perpetuate the lie. The deeper he had to bury himself.

"Perhaps I might talk to you when there are less barriers between us, Miss Schuyler." Alexander tried to joke. His laugh sounded desperate to his own ears.

"He just returned a night ago." John told Eliza. It was a lie, but of course, everything up to now had been a lie anyway. "He returned to join the militia."

"The militia? But I thought that he was a businessman." Eliza ventured.

"The patriot cause caught up with me, I'm afraid." Alexander called out.

He wished that John would stop talking. He wished that John would stop telling her more lies. He was only making things worse. It was far easier to escape the liability that unnecessary explanations brought.

"I'm glad of it, if it means that you will be in town for a little while longer." Eliza said.

Alexander's heart seized up. Eliza sounded like she meant it. The idea that she would be glad of his presence in any way made him want to tell her everything. He wanted to come clean and tell her that he had loved her from the moment that he had seen her.

"Eliza, darling, why don't we look around the shops while Mr. Ha - ah, Mr. Laurens finds the clothing that he's looking for?" Angelica suggested.

John had started coughing loudly when Angelica nearly let Alexander's name slip. Alexander's mouth had gone dry.

"Oh, that's okay. I think I've shopped enough for one day." Eliza could not be persuaded to leave. She was quiet for a second, then asked the question that Alexander had not even thought to worry about. "How did you and Mr. Laurens become so well acquainted?"

"We were just reintroduced this afternoon." Angelica lied quickly. Alexander wished that everyone would just stop lying. "I saw Mr. John Laurens walking with him and they made such a pretty picture that I could not resist joining them."

"Should I be hurt that you did not think to send someone for me?" Eliza asked playfully.

"Of course not, darling. I had every intention of bringing Mr. Laurens home for supper just for you." Angelia pacified her.

The way she phrased it, Alexander felt like a gift being passed from one owner to the other. He did not mind, so long as the hands passing him belonged to a Schuyler.

"Will you come to dinner, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." John intervened hastily.

Hercules returned to the curtain with more clothes. None of them were of the same cloth as the other. None of them were even the same color as the other. Alexander looked at him, his brows furrowed.

"Don't look at me that way - you never actually bought anything!" Hercules hissed, shoving the clothes into Alexander's arms.

"Are they at least my size?" Alexander whispered, looking down at the pile of clothes dubiously.

" _These are not your clothes_!" Hercules felt compelled to remind Alexander again that he was not a paying customer. "Don't make any rips or tears, or I'll have your head."

"When you speak to me like that, it's really no wonder that I haven't bought anything from you." Alexander murmured with a small smile.

Hercules cast him a withering look before returning to the other side of the curtain.

"We have dinner plans already, I'm afraid." John explained to Eliza as Alexander hastened to put on the variety of clothes that Hercules had given him. He started with the shirt. A shiny, ivory button popped off the shirt as soon as Alexander stuck his right arm through the sleeve. It went rolling out from under the curtain. Alexander heard Hercules let out an audible sigh.

"Mr. Mulligan, it seems that there was a loose button." He remarked, barely suppressing a laugh.

"So it seems." Hercules agreed, his tone clipped.

"Oh, dear. Mr. Laurens, are you sure that you wouldn't prefer to look at another shop? My father's tailor works just a few rows down." Eliza suggested.

The suggestion would have made Alexander laugh, had it not been so frightening.

"Yes, Mr. Laurens." Hercules did not suppress his mocking tone. "If you would like to consider another tailor's work, I would be happy to pass along your measurements."

"That's quite alright, Mr. Mulligan." Alexander snapped. "I'm sure that the rest of the buttons are fastened well enough for my taste."

"Eliza, perhaps we should be going home for supper, if the men aren't going to join us. Father won't like it if we're out past dark." Angelica tried again to lure Eliza away from Alexander.

"Since when have you ever been concerned about what Father likes?" Eliza laughed. It was a perfect laugh. It was sunny and light. "Besides, the sun will be up for another two or three hours, still."

"We were very sorry to have to decline your generous invitation, Miss Schuyler." John tried to change the subject. "There is nothing that we would have enjoyed more."

Alexander hopped into the trousers that Hercules had provided. They were too big. The fabric was too wide to stay at his waist. He tucked in the shirt in the hopes that it would fill the space in the trousers that his waist could not. It did not. With a frustrated sigh, he resigned to holding up the pants with his hand while he put on the silk stockings that Hercules had provided. They were too small for him. They did not reach the end of the trousers, leaving an awkward patch of skin exposed. With an annoyed huff, he set to work putting on the shoes. They were too big for him, creating a space between the back of the shoe and his ankle.

"Mr. Mulligan, I don't think that these clothes are going to quite do the trick." Alexander remarked, trying very hard not to sound as annoyed as he felt.

"Why don't you come out here and let me take a look? I'll need to see where I went wrong in order to alter them." Hercules remarked. For once, he sounded like he was enjoying himself. Alexander had a sneaking suspicious that it was no accident that the clothes did not fit.

"I don't think that is advisable, Mr. Mulligan." Alexander protested.

"I insist, Mr. Laurens." Hercules said.

"Come on, Alexander." John agreed in exasperation. He was probably tired of entertaining the Schuyler sisters on Alexander's behalf.

Alexander let out a frustrated sigh before walking through the curtain. Angelica let out an involuntary laugh then covered her mouth. Eliza's eyes widened, and her mouth curled into a small smile, but she obviously was trying very hard not to laugh. John looked over at Hercules critically. Hercules was grinning like all of his dreams were finally coming true.

"I think your measurements may be wrong." Alexander snarked.

"It does look that way, doesn't it?" Hercules agreed, still grinning. He looked over his shoulder and snapped his fingers. "Do you know, I think I may have given you the wrong clothes, Mr. Laurens. I hope you'll forgive the mistake."

"Of course." Alexander agreed, his eyes narrowed as he watched Hercules recover another set of clothes. This set matched in cloth and color.

"Oh, but who would order those terrible clothes?" Eliza asked, gesturing to Alexander. Alexander shrugged. The motion caused his grip on his trousers to loosen. They slid down his thighs, nearly creating a great deal of embarrassment before Alexander grabbed them and returned them to his waist.

Angelica let out another laugh.

Alexander tried to smile good-naturedly, though his face burned with embarrassment. "I cannot imagine who might have requested these proportions. I do hope that you will forgive me for exposing so much of myself when we have only met twice."

Eliza dissolved into giggles. Alexander's smile grew genuine. Upon seeing Alexander's smile, John smiled, too.

"Here you are, Mr. Laurens." Hercules handed Alexander the bundle of clothes. Alexander accepted them with one hand, still holding the trousers up with the other. "If you would please change; I cannot have you showing so much of yourself to potential customers."

Alexander cast Eliza a lopsided grin before hurrying behind the curtain to change into clothes that, hopefully, would fit him much better than the original set.

When he emerged from the curtain again, it was in an entire outfit that fit him perfectly. Even the clothes that he wore to school - the ones he had spent two months' worth of pay on and kept under meticulous conditions - did not fit him so well, nor feel so nice.

"Ah. There are your clothes, Mr. Laurens." Hercules cast him an uncharacteristically kind smile.

Alexander smiled back, wishing that these were, indeed, his clothes.

"Shall we wait for Mr. Laurens outside while he pays?" Angelica suggested, linking her arm with Eliza's and ushering her outside. "It's so dreadfully stuffy in this store with all five of us, I think I should faint if I don't get some fresh air."

"Yes, of course." Eliza craned her neck to look over her shoulder at Alexander. She smiled when her eyes found his. Alexander smiled back at her as the women disappeared from sight.

"I can buy those for him, if they don't have a buyer lined up already." John drew Alexander's attention back within the confines of the store.

Hercules waved off John's offer. "They're for Hamilton."

"What?" Alexander didn't hide his surprise.

"We like you, Hammie, fine clothes or not." Hercules shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed. "But if fine clothes are going to win over Miss Schuyler, then I'll make the contribution on your behalf. You deserve to be happy."

Alexander quirked a smile. It was not like Hercules to be nice.

"Thank you." He said. It was not like Alexander to be grateful.

"Go on," Hercules dismissed Alexander gruffly. Alexander's gratitude embarrassed him. "I am certain that you would rather speak with Miss Schuyler than stand around here and speak with me."

Alexander nodded, grinning at Hercules before exiting the shop. John followed at his heels. Alexander didn't look at him, certain that he would understand the importance of speaking with Eliza Schuyler when the opportunity presented itself.

"Miss Schuyler." Alexander was relieved when he found her waiting outside with Angelica.

Both Eliza and Angelica turned around to look at him. Both were smiling. Alexander fixed his eyes on Eliza, his own smile broadening.

"Mr. Laurens." Eliza cast her eyes downward in a demure gesture that might have made Alexander laugh, if she weren't so devastatingly beautiful.

"May I walk you home?" Alexander could not offer Eliza his entire night; John had already told her that he was busy to avoid having to have dinner with her father.

"We have the horses -" Angelica turned around to look at the horses they had presumably ridden to get to town.

"I would love little more than for you to walk me home, Mr. Laurens." Eliza ignored Angelica.

"Uh, Alexander, I have to return to camp soon…" John remarked.

Alexander looked over his shoulder at John. "All right. Thank you for the visit, John. Send General Washington my regards."

John's face paled a bit. He frowned, but nodded and bowed to both Angelica and Eliza.

"Good evening, Miss Schuyler." He murmured.

"Good evening, Mr. Laurens." Both Eliza and Angelica chorused.

"New York will feel your absence, Mr. Laurens." Angelica said.

Alexander started, realizing that he had quite forgotten that John would be leaving New York before they were to see each other again. He turned to say a proper goodbye to his friend, only to find that John was gone. Alexander could vaguely make out his retreating figure several yards away.

When Alexander turned around to look at Eliza again, he noticed that Angelica was watching him with something resembling disapproval. She likely noticed that he had forgotten that John was leaving. Alexander absolved himself of the guilt that Angelica was trying to impose upon him. He would write John a letter when he returned home.

"Shall we, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza inquired, oblivious to the meaning behind Angelica's words.

"Of course." Alexander offered Eliza his arm, the way he'd dreamt of doing for months on end. He nearly shuddered out of pure joy when Eliza placed her small hand on his arm.

"Angelica," Eliza surprised both Angelica and Alexander by turning to look at her sister. "Would you like to walk with us? I'm sure that we can send someone to fetch the horses when we're home."

Angelica looked at Eliza and Alexander, considering Eliza's invitation. Alexander was certain that she would say no. She knew how much Alexander wanted to speak with Eliza undisturbed. She knew how much he cherished every second spent alone with her.

"I would be delighted to." Angelica said.

* * *

 **I'M BACK! I can't promise consistency because I am a busy person and I've also been working on an OG piece of writing, but I'll do my best to post at least a couple of times a month. Enjoy~**


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you joining General Washington's forces, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza asked Alexander as she, Angelica, and Alexander walked the dirt roads leading to the Schuyler mansion. The sun was getting a little low in the sky. Alexander hoped that the sun would hold at least until he returned to his dormitory. He did not wish to encounter robbers in the dark, not when he was wearing such fine clothes.

"I'm starting a company of my own, actually." Alexander answered with a friendly smile. "That was my primary purpose for contracting Mr. Mulligan's business this afternoon. I was hoping that he would help me recruit in exchange for a leadership position."

"Your own company?" Eliza echoed in surprise. "What for? I mean, oh, please don't get offended Mr. Laurens, I only mean that a man with your name could surely get a position in General Washington's existing troops as an officer."

Alexander tried not to be offended.

"I think that there's something noble about starting off on your own, like a common man would." Angelica interjected. She smiled at Alexander, bolstering his confidence.

"I don't see why I should receive a position that I haven't earned on the basis of wealth or title." Alexander picked up on Angelica's hint. "It seems against the cause that we are fighting for."

"I suppose you're right." Eliza smiled, pacified. "That _is_ terribly noble of you, Mr. Laurens."

"I wish you would call me Alexander." Alexander reminded her. She had called him by his first name at the ball where they had first met. He assumed that she was using his last name for Angelica's sake. "Both of you."

Angelica rolled her eyes. Eliza's smile grew brighter.

"What sort of company will you have, Alexander?" Eliza slipped into the casual use of his first name easily. "Will you remain in New York?"

"In the immediate future, sure. Mr. Mulligan and I will have to train our men to the best of our abilities. It seems practical to do in New York, so long as the British don't overwhelm the area." Alexander was thinking as he spoke, but was careful to use a tone that suggested that he had given the matter serious thought already.

"How many men are you going to train?" Eliza wondered.

"We need at least sixty to have a company." Alexander replied. "I'd like more, if I could find them."

"Are you qualified to train sixty men?" Angelica teased.

"Is anyone?" Alexander countered.

"What made you choose the military?" Eliza ignored the playful conversation between Alexander and Angelica good-naturedly.

"The cause, of course. I could not in good conscience think to do anything else while men less able than myself are laying down their lives for a cause that I believe in just as heartily as they do." Alexander said.

That was a lie. He was joining the cause in order to advance. It was easiest to gain title and wealth in the military than it was in any other profession. A militia could not afford to only promote those with money and status - men would die unless the most qualified men were the ones put in charge.

"How very noble. Is anyone else in your family in the militia?" Eliza inquired.

"John is." Alexander proffered humbly.

"Yes, I know that Mr. Laurens is working for General Washington." Eliza allowed, looking down at the ground as they walked on. "I suppose that I was asking more about your immediate family - your father or brothers."

"Oh. No." Alexander grew quiet. He did not want to talk about his father or his brother. He did not want to think about them.

"Are they very proud of you?" Eliza looked at Alexander timidly. "They must be very proud of you for joining the militia."

Alexander did not know how to tell Eliza that his family was emphatically _not_ proud of him. They had never been proud of him. They would never be proud of him.

"Your country will be proud of you, that's for certain." Angelica cut in again. She smiled at Alexander softly, nodding her head a bit.

Alexander smiled at her gratefully.

"Where are you staying while you're in New York?" Eliza made another attempt at finding out more about Alexander. She frowned at Alexander and Angelica. She seemed to be misreading the situation, thinking that Alexander preferred Angelica to her.

"At King's College." Alexander could be truthful about that, at least. Many soldiers and mercenaries were staying in the dormitory with him. Since the war, enough men had dropped out of school that the school was glad to repurpose the dormitory as a boarding house for profit.

"In the dormitory with all of those men?" Eliza wondered. "Isn't that disruptive?"

"I don't think so. There's always something to do." Alexander answered.

"I think that sounds wonderful." Angelica contributed. "Walking around all of those men, discussing different things that they're learning. I'd love to go to those classes right there with them."

"Angelica." Eliza laughed and rolled her eyes.

"What would you study?" Alexander couldn't help but ask.

Angelica seemed surprised by his question. She thought for a few seconds.

"Politics." She finally said.

Alexander let out a small laugh. "I don't believe that is a field of study, Miss Schuyler, unless you wish to study the Roman senate and maddened emperors."

"Why not?" Angelica grinned. "We're under a maddened emperor right now, are we not? Even seemingly archaic ideas can be of use in unusual circumstances."

"Oh, but what a life!" Eliza seemed caught up in the good humor now, instead of jealous of it. "Competing for the affection of the masses. How could you make all of those decisions? How could you know enough about everything to make rules about anything? I think that I would much rather stay home and run a household."

"And I thank you for that, Miss Schuyler." Alexander smiled and nodded at Eliza deferentially. "For I am utterly useless at household affairs, as are many men like me. We need someone much like you to make sure our house is in order while we make our vain attempts at glory and renown."

Eliza's face turned a pretty shade of pink. She looked off into the distance, smiling to herself. Alexander smiled, too, pleased with himself for making Eliza smile.

"We're right down this way," Angelica cut the silence after a moment or two. She gestured down a dirt road that led to a rather substantial mansion. "If you come with us any further, you'll have to meet Father."

"What's wrong with Alexander meeting Father?" Eliza turned to look at Angelica, her bottom lip poking out into a pout.

Alexander just smiled and took Eliza's hand in his. This immediately redirected her attention away from Angelica. Alexander leaned down and pressed a kiss to the back of Eliza's hand. He saw goosebumps erupt up her arm as he straightened his posture out. It caused him a considerable amount of satisfaction. He allowed his eyes to slowly drift back up to meet Eliza's.

"Goodnight, Miss Schuyler." He said.

"Goodnight, Alexander." Eliza whispered in return.

Alexander smiled to himself as he turned and started down the dirt road, heading back for the city.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hammie, I think we should call it." Hercules grunted.

Alexander and Hercules had been canvassing for five hours. They had fifty-two men sign their petition to form a company in the two weeks since they began canvassing. They needed sixty. Since they had begun canvassing that day, they'd received an additional man who had signed the petition with a false (and frankly, vulgar) name.

Alexander looked over at Hercules, frowning.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"You barely have time to make it, as it is." Hercules answered.

Every night since Eliza had discovered that Alexander was back in New York, he had been meeting her in the city at four o'clock. Her father had gone with General Washington's forces, leaving her and her sisters quite alone with their mother. In General Schuyler's absence, Alexander found that he did not mind walking Eliza home every evening. He still attempted to avoid Mrs. Schuyler, who might have known the Laurens family through her husband's connections, but there were even times when Mrs. Schuyler was out at the homes of her friends. When Mrs. Schuyler was out, Alexander would sometimes accept Eliza's requests that he join them for dinner.

Alexander sighed.

He knew that he could not miss walking with Eliza. She had come to rely on his company, and he found that he enjoyed hers far more than he had dreamt he would.

"All right." He said. "Will you meet me here tomorrow?"

Hercules sighed this time. He dropped his hand to his side, the parchment intended to collect signatures crumpling against his body.

"Hammie," He protested. "No one wants to join our company. Perhaps we should consider giving up and seeking non-leadership positions. I heard that General Washington is looking for spies…"

"No." Alexander argued.

He could not reach a position high enough to justify a proposal to Eliza by being one of General Washington's lackeys. If he was going to work for General Washington, he would have to be an officer.

"Then what is your plan?" Hercules demanded, very obviously frustrated.

"I could, uh…well, I could talk to Angelica Schuyler. She might have some ideas." Alexander replied, his tone a bit desperate.

Hercules rolled his eyes and shifted his weight from one foot to another. "How is Miss Schuyler going to help us recruit soldiers? She is a girl. Her only experience with recruitment is sending out invitations to dinner parties."

"I have to try." Alexander said. "I cannot go on without at least trying."

They both knew that if Alexander could not assemble a company, he would have to accept a lower position in the militia. He could not wait around for General Washington's employment and still maintain the appearance of a well-bred gentleman. Eliza would quickly see through the façade if he could not manage something so simple as an officer's commission.

Hercules let out a sigh and nodded.

"I have to renew my lease next month." He told Alexander. "I had been hoping that today would determine whether I was to remain in New York or not. I must know before the end of the month. We must have sixty men by then. I like you, Hammie, but I won't starve for you."

"I'll find sixty men by the end of the month." Alexander folded up his own parchment, full of lines for signatures that did not yet exist, and crammed them in the pocket of his breeches. "Just trust me, will you?"

"No, I will not trust you." Hercules frowned grimly. "But I'll wait."

"Good enough." Alexander agreed, walking backwards to indicate that he was forced to depart or otherwise miss walking Eliza home. "I'll see you tomorrow, Herc!"

"You are out of your mind, Hammie." Hercules said just loud enough for Alexander to hear as he hurried towards the opposite end of town.

* * *

"There you are!" Eliza smiled brightly as Alexander came hurrying into sight. "I was beginning to think that you were indisposed and unable to walk me home this afternoon."

"I could never be too busy to walk you home, Miss Schuyler." Alexander replied, bending over to kiss her hand.

Their greetings had grown rather familiar over the days in which they had known one another. Alexander had never been happier.

"Were you successful with your canvassing today?" Eliza asked, placing her hand on Alexander's arm as they began to walk towards the Schuyler mansion.

"There was less interest than we were expecting, but I believe that we will have the numbers we need before the end of the month." Alexander replied, glancing down at his shoes to avoid meeting Eliza's eyes while he lied to her.

He did hope that he and Hercules would find a sufficient amount of men to patch together a company before Hercules' lease ran out. However, He was less certain of the possibility than he was projecting to both Hercules and Eliza.

"I will be sorry when you leave." Eliza professed in a small voice.

Alexander looked to her in surprise. He could not imagine Eliza Schuyler experiencing sorrow over his absence. He could not imagine meaning so much to such a woman. He considered himself the luckiest of men.

"I will be sorry to leave." He said carefully. "But in my absence, I will write you letters in the hopes that they provide you with a small amount of comfort and company."

"You will write?" Eliza looked as though Alexander had said something wonderful. "Do you promise?"

"I promise." Alexander replied without hesitation.

He remembered the first time that Eliza had granted him permission to correspond. With each letter he addressed to her, he felt a twinge of pleasure in his chest. He would not have given up such an honor for anything in the world.

"Oh, Mr. Laurens!" Angelica called as the Schuyler mansion came into sight. She had been waiting for them. "There you are. Thank you for delivering my sister home safely. Will you stay for supper? My mother is not home, but the servants have made roasted lamb."

Angelica had taken to sitting outside of the mansion around the time that Alexander walked Eliza home. She would warn Alexander in advance if Mrs. Schuyler was around, or not. She understood Alexander's need to avoid Mrs. Schuyler.

"I would like it very much if you would stay. I feel as though I should enjoy your company as much as I can before you leave." Eliza contributed. She hadn't removed her hand from Alexander's arm yet. She looked up at him with big, brown eyes. Alexander was helpless to resist them.

"How could I refuse such a request?" He wondered, allowing the corner of his mouth to tilt into a smile. "I would be delighted to stay for supper."

Eliza smiled brightly. Alexander was momentarily silenced by the smile. He could not think of a single thing to say; any words remaining in his head were entirely about her lips, and how he'd like to kiss them.

Angelica cleared her throat. Alexander tore his eyes away from Eliza with great difficulty. Eliza dropped her hand from his arm, but continued smiling.

"Eliza, would you like to change into a fresh dress for supper?" Angelica suggested, casting Eliza a pointed look. Dirt and dust had kicked up during their walk back to the Schuyler mansion. The hem of her dress was now entirely brown.

"Oh." Eliza looked down at her dress. Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. "Yes, I suppose I had better! Mr. Laurens, I hope that you will excuse me."

"Do not worry, Eliza. I will keep Mr. Laurens company while you prepare yourself for supper." Angelica looked Alexander over with a wolfish smile. Alexander glanced down at his shoes in the hopes of hiding his own smile.

"Thank you." Eliza looked to Alexander one last time before hurrying into the mansion.

Once the door swung shut behind Eliza, Alexander allowed himself to look at Angelica. She was still watching him, her head cocked to the side. She gestured for him to join her on the porch, where there were a dozen wicker chairs. Alexander obliged her. They both took a seat beside one another.

"How many men did you recruit today?" Angelica asked.

Alexander sighed and shook his head.

"One." Alexander replied. He winced, remembering the fake name that the man had written, instead of his own. "Sort of."

"All right." Angelica said. "So now you have fifty three men, sort of. How much time do you have left to get the amount that you need?"

"Herc's lease runs out in a month. We need sixty men by then, or he will stay in New York. Presumably, I will be forced to stay, too." Alexander replied.

"That should not be so hard, should it? If you found fifty three men, sort of, in two weeks, you should be able to find the remaining seven men within the next month." Angelica reasoned.

Alexander frowned. He looked down at his hands, interlocked between his legs.

"It should not be." He agreed dismally. "However, I fear that we have already engaged every willing man in the city. We were canvassing for hours today and received only a single name - a false name."

"It cannot be that bad." Angelica said, frowning.

"I am afraid that it is." Alexander replied, his shoulders slumping. "I do not dare tell Eliza such things, but it is only a matter of time until she finds out. Your father could never permit me her hand if I am nothing more than a lawyer or a foot soldier."

"What if… _I_ helped?" Angelica suggested, casting Alexander a sidelong glance.

"You?" Alexander could not hide his surprise. "How could you help?"

"I will blame your poor breeding for that comment." Angelica's eyes narrowed.

"I apologize." Alexander felt his face redden slightly.

He had become accustomed to being around Hercules, John, and Aaron; he had become desensitized to their biting remarks and pointed jokes. Angelica was constantly having to remind him to consider his words more carefully.

"If I am not mistaken, I believe that I am something of an attraction in the city." Angelica said.

Alexander quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head, silently accepting this statement. Angelica was the most eligible woman in all of New York, if not the country. She was beautiful, charming, witty, and everyone knew that her husband would receive a staggering dowry. Every man at the loading docks had asked Alexander to introduce them to Angelica, once it became known that he was well-acquainted with her.

"I believe the men of New York would be more amenable to my suggestion that they join your company than they would be yours." Angelica continued.

"Perhaps." Alexander allowed grudgingly.

"Then we are agreed." Angelica said briskly, rising to her feet. Alexander rose to his feet, as well.

"Well, I suppose, but…" Alexander faltered.

He did not like the idea of Angelica canvassing alongside of him. It made him feel small. He did not want to have to ask Angelica to resolve his own shortcomings. He wanted to earn his position in the world for himself.

"Dinner should be ready by now. I would like for you to join me at the table. Eliza should be ready to join us in the next minute or two." Angelica threw open the doors to the mansion and walked in, leaving no room for Alexander to argue.

"Very well." Alexander mumbled to himself, following Angelica into the mansion.

* * *

"Have you lost your mind?" Hercules demanded the moment that he caught sight of Alexander and Angelica.

"Nearly." Alexander joked.

"Mr. Hamilton told me that you were having some trouble recruiting men for your company." Angelica spoke up. She looked Hercules directly in the eye. "I thought that I might be able to assist you."

"How are _you_ going to assist _us_?" Hercules wondered.

Hearing the words from another man's mouth made Alexander appreciate what had offended Angelica in the first place. It was a rather condescending thing to say.

"Hello, Miss Schuyler." A passerby stopped long enough to bow and smile in Angelica's direction.

"Hello, Mr. Seaburn." Angelica turned to smile at the gentleman. When she smiled that way, two dimples appeared on her cheeks. They matched Eliza's. Alexander smiled at the thought of Eliza.

The man, Seaburn, came to a stop. He adjusted his stance, positioning himself nearer to Angelica. His intentions were made clear by the way that he leaned closer to her. He did not seem to even notice Alexander or Hercules.

"What brings you to the city today, Miss Schuyler?" He asked.

"As it happens, I am accompanying two dear friends of mine. Have you met Alexander Hamilton and Hercules Mulligan?" Angelica gestured to Alexander and Hercules with a charming smile.

Alexander suddenly became aware of the beauty that every other man in New York was half-mad over.

"I have not had the pleasure." Seaburn shook both Alexander and Hercules' hands in turn. He looked them over, evaluating how much of a threat they posed to his chances with Angelica.

"They are attempting to start a company." Angelica said as Seaburn's attention returned to her. She looked to Alexander, her eyes dark and alluring. "I find very few things more attractive than a man fighting for the patriot cause. It is a good thing, too. I daresay my father would never approve of a man who did not fight a day in the war. How could he, when my family has already given so much to the cause?"

"Is that so?" Seaburn looked to Alexander suspiciously.

Alexander blinked, unsure if he ought to say something. Angelica was making it seem as though Alexander was courting her. He did not see how that would increase the goodwill any of the gentlemen in the city felt for him.

"Exactly so! Although, I am sure that my father's demands have no bearing on Mr. Hamilton's hopes to join the militia. He is courting my sister, you know." Angelica told Seaburn conspiratorially.

"Your sister." Seaburn's face lit up with relief. He glanced at Alexander again. All of the suspicion was gone from his face. "Congratulations, Mr. Hamilton. She is the finest lady in all of New York."

Clearly, he did not believe the words he said. He was looking at Angelica with an eagerness that could not be reserved for any lady other than the one he favored. Alexander did not mind. He did not wish for any more competition for Eliza's hand than he already had.

"Thank you." Alexander nodded towards Seaburn slightly.

"Perhaps, ah…" Seaburn removed his hat and began worrying at it with his fingers. He looked from Angelica to Alexander. "Perhaps I might join your company. I have been considering joining the militia for some time now, but did not want to be placed on the front lines. Say, what kind of company will you run?"

"Artillery." Alexander answered.

Hercules nodded beside Alexander. He had been rather neglected during throughout the conversation. He just watched the interaction with a stony expression.

"That is not a fighting position, is it?" Seaburn wondered.

"No." Alexander replied quickly. "We would be responsible for the cannons and the guns. Reloading them, transporting them, firing them…"

"Hey, I think that I would be rather good at that." Seaburn remarked. "Do you have room in your company for one more, Mr. Hamilton?"

"Certainly. If you could please sign your name here." Alexander handed Seaburn the parchment full of names, along with a pencil.

Seaburn quickly etched his name into the parchment, then turned to look at Angelica.

"I suppose I will be leaving town soon." He remarked.

Angelica's smile had grown less charming, now that Seaburn had signed the paper. Her use for him, it seemed, was gone.

"Your absence will be felt." She told him without much conviction. "But I am certain that Mr. Hamilton will keep you safe until you return home to New York."

"Will you write me when I am gone?" Seaburn pressed.

Alexander glanced at Hercules. Hercules rolled his eyes. Alexander nodded his agreement.

"Of course I will." Angelica's tone was bordering on outright irritation now. "I will write to you every night."

Seaburn smiled, not seeming to realize that his emotions had been utilized for Angelica's purposes.

"Perhaps -"

"Mr. Seaburn." Angelica interjected in a clipped tone. "I am afraid that I am holding Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Mulligan back by favoring you so openly. They were hoping to find a few more men for their company. You do not want to be the only one marching behind these fine gentlemen, do you?"

Alexander tried not to smirk as Seaburn looked from him to Hercules.

"Well, no. I suppose not…" Seaburn replied uncertainly.

"Then I am afraid I must take my leave of you." Angelica worked up another charming smile. "If you will excuse me, Mr. Seaburn."

Seaburn bowed as Angelica led Alexander and Hercules away from him.

Once they were out of earshot, Angelica let out a laugh. Alexander joined in her laughter, unable to resist. Angelica Schuyler had one of the most contagious laughs he had ever heard. Hercules smiled; even he was not immune to Angelica's charms.

"I cannot imagine why you were so concerned about getting men to sign up!" Angelica giggled as they walked down the street. "Men are so foolish, they will sign their names to just about anything so long as they believe it is their idea."

"Jesus, Hammie." Hercules remarked, shaking his head. "Why didn't you think to invite her sooner?"

* * *

With Angelica's help, Alexander and Hercules received one-hundred and thirty-six signatures in five hours. That gave them command over a force of one-hundred and eighty-nine men, minus the fake name.

Within a week of submitting the petition, Alexander received a letter. It was from George Washington himself. He tore open the envelope, his mouth watering for a position under Washington's command.

 _Captain Hamilton,_

 _Congratulations on assembling an artillery company in New York. I am told that it is one of the largest artillery forces in the country. I am certain that your enterprising qualities and your manpower will be of great use to your country during this war._

 _It is my desire that you join my forces near Philadelphia. Your formidable forces will be of great use to me there. Congress will provide any funds required to move your forces._

 _Respectfully,_

 _G. Washington_

 _P.S. This note was dictated by General Washington, written in the hand of John Laurens. Hello, Alexander! I look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia!_

Alexander could hardly believe what he was reading. General Washington had not only taken notice of his troops - he had requested that they join him. He had written to Alexander himself - or, at least, he had dictated to Alexander himself - to invite Alexander to join his forces.

"I must tell Eliza." He murmured to himself.

He slipped the letter under his straw mattress, where no prying eyes might find it, then hurried towards his wardrobe to grab more suitable attire. He quickly changed out of his ragged clothes and into the finer officer's uniform that Hercules had made for the two of them.

He borrowed Firebrand from the inn and rode over to the Schuyler mansion. He knew that both Eliza and Angelica would be home. Angelica had told him the day before that they would be entertaining a family friend before he left to become an aide for General Montgomery.

"Mr. Laurens." One of the servants outside of the mansion - a friendly man named Jack - recognized him on sight. Alexander smiled as he dismounted his horse.

"Hello, Jack." Alexander greeted the servant. "Are the ladies seated for supper yet?"

"They just went inside." Jack replied, grinning. "I'll take your horse if you wanna go on in."

"Thank you." Alexander nodded to Jack before moving towards the house.

Another servant, a man named Freddy, opened the front door after Alexander knocked. He did not ask who Alexander wanted to see, or if he was expected. He simply opened the door and gestured for Alexander to enter the mansion. He did not ask if Alexander wanted to be introduced. He knew by now that Alexander preferred to stroll into the dining room and announce himself.

"Hello," Alexander called as he rounded the corner into the dining room. He knew that Mrs. Schuyler was staying with family friends through the week, so he did not worry about the volume of his voice.

He did not worry about the family friend visiting the Schuylers. He assumed it was another soldier who was heartsick over Angelica. He doubted very much that such a man would pay attention to him.

He was wrong not to worry.

Aaron Burr was sitting between Angelica and Eliza. He grinned at the sight of Alexander.

"Hamilton." He said, rising from his seat. "It's good to see you! What are you doing here?"

Alexander felt all of the blood in his body rush to his feet. He nearly shuddered at the sensation. He glanced at Angelica. She looked mortified.

"Hamilton?" Eliza glanced up at Aaron, her brows furrowing and her mouth curving into a curious smile. "Colonel Burr, I am afraid you are mistaken. This is Alexander Laurens. You may know his cousin, Colonel John Laurens."

Aaron laughed. Alexander knew that he was ruined. Angelica was covering her eyes with her hands.

"What are you talking about? Of course this is Hamilton! I would recognize this man anywhere." Aaron remarked. "Perhaps you misunderstood your introduction. I would not be surprised; before Colonel Laurens departed for General Washington's camp, he and Hamilton were damn near inseparable."

"Excuse me. I must have been mistaken." Eliza's smile had evaporated. She rose from her seat, the wooden legs of the chair scraping against the hardwood floor. She stalked out of the dining room without another look at Alexander.

Everyone watched Eliza leave the room. Once she was gone, Aaron looked from Angelica to Alexander curiously. Angelica had yet to remove her hands from her eyes. Alexander's ears were ringing.

"I…I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?" Aaron asked no one in particular.

Alexander turned on his heel and followed after Eliza. He did not care to explain Aaron's blunder to him. It did not matter; not when Eliza was so obviously injured.

"Eliza?" He poked his head in every room he passed in the hallway. He could not find any sign of her. "Eliza?"

Finally, he spotted her through a window. She was in the garden. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was pacing back and forth. Alexander's panic morphed into something far more palpable - guilt.

He pushed through the doors and into the garden.

"Eliza." He said.

Eliza spun around. Her eyes were red. Tear streaks framed her face. Her mouth was bunched up into a tight pout, but her lips wobbled as she struggled against another bout of tears. Guilt threatened to cripple Alexander.

"There you are, Mr. Laurens. Or should I say, Mr. Hamilton?" Her voice was unsteady. Her tone was raw. Alexander hung his head.

"I am sorry." He said.

It seemed a woefully inadequate thing to say, but it was all he could think of. He could think of no words to weasel his way out of this mess.

"Why did you tell me that your last name was Laurens? Why did you lie to me?" Eliza asked.

Alexander shook his head.

"Isn't it obvious?" He replied. "My name is not known to families like yours. I do not have sufficient letters of introduction for your father, nor do I have appropriate connections to secure an invitation to any of the social events you attend. I wanted to meet you. Lying was the only way."

"And why is it that you wanted to meet me? Did you want my father's money?" Eliza demanded.

"What? No! No, of course not. I wanted nothing more than to meet you." Alexander protested.

"Oh, please. If you were to tell me such a tale about wanting to meet Angelica, I might believe you, but _me_? It must have been the money seducing you!" Eliza shook her head.

"Eliza, be fair." Alexander said.

"I would prefer that you call me Miss Schuyler." Eliza tilted her chin and narrowed her eyes. She resembled Angelica when she was angry. "And I do not think I owe you any amount of fairness. How fair was it to lie to me about who you were? About loving me?"

"I did not lie about loving you - only about my name!" Alexander exclaimed.

"I think that you should leave, Mr. Hamilton." Eliza proclaimed. She turned her back to Alexander again. Her shoulders hunched in a way that suggested a fresh batch of tears were on their way.

"Eliza." Alexander took a step towards her.

"I said, _leave_." Eliza's tone hit a level of venom that Alexander had not previously thought her capable of. Alexander was so startled by it that he stumbled back into the mansion without a second thought.

He nearly collided with Angelica in the hallway. She had been standing there, apparently watching their argument.

"Is she…" Angelica started.

Alexander shook his head.

He began to walk towards the front door. Angelica followed him. They walked slowly. Alexander was hoping that Eliza might change her mind and catch him before he left. Angelica seemed to have an uncharacteristic amount of patience for him.

As they stepped out of the mansion, Angelica reached for Alexander's hand. Her hand felt warm against the coolness of the night. Alexander accepted this rather forward act for what it was; a friend comforting another friend on the loss of a lover.

"So, she doesn't love you…" Angelica ventured as they approached the stable. She looked at Alexander, demanding his attention. Her eyes glinted in the moonlight. She made an attempt at a watery smile. "Is that really so bad?"

Alexander glanced back at the mansion and shook his head.

"I do not know what I will do without her." He replied.

"Perhaps you might find someone else." Angelica suggested. She gave Alexander's hand a squeeze. "Someone who you might learn to love. Someone who might love you without the pretense of the Laurens name."

Alexander gently pulled his hand out of Angelica's grasp.

"Goodnight, Angelica." He said.

He walked into the stable, leaving her standing alone in the night air.

* * *

 **I'm back! Be gentle with me; I'm easing my way back into this story. The characterization might be a little off, and the style may be a bit different than when I left off, but I'm trying. I figure with everyone being shut in their houses for the next month or so, I may as well use the time to finish up some of my unfinished fics.**

 **Any input is appreciated, and nagging is always welcome if I start to fall off the writing wagon again!**


	8. Chapter 8

Alexander and Hercules left to join General Washington's forces the next day. Neither Angelica nor Eliza showed up to see them off. Alexander had hoped that they would.

Hercules led the pack. Alexander was content to follow after him blindly. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to focus on where they were going. It was all he could do to look around at the men they now commanded every so often.

"Snap out of it, Hammie." Hercules advised Alexander once they had stopped to allow the men to eat lunch. "You cannot allow Miss Schuyler to haunt you when we are headed off to war. You will get shot on the first day if you are not careful."

"We are handling the artillery." Alexander grumbled.

"Forgive me; why would British soldiers wish to shoot at the soldiers handling cannons?" Hercules rolled his eyes.

"I know that it was unethical to lie about my name, but it isn't as though I lied to her about anything else." Alexander ignored Hercules. "I cannot understand why she was so angry."

"I don't know, Alex." Hercules sighed. "I don't know why she has not forgiven you. I don't know why she did not show up to see you off this morning, even after you forced us to wait an entire hour for them. I do not know why the sky is blue, nor do I know why birds opt to sing instead of shout. All I know is that we gathered up the men for the company that _you_ wanted to start, and now you are forcing me to train and transport them on my own! I need you right now, Hammie. Eliza doesn't. Forget about her and focus on a career that could catapult us both into a new life - a better life. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me."

Alexander wrung his hands.

"Do you think I should write to her?" He wondered.

"I give up." Hercules said, shaking his head and walking away from where Alexander stood.

* * *

Alexander wrote Eliza a letter every night. She never wrote back. This did not discourage Alexander. If anything, it only encouraged him to continue trying. He was sure that, even if she did not reply to his letters, she read them.

They arrived at Washington's camp after a weeklong journey. John was waiting at the gate to greet them. There, he told them the gate password that they would use while they stayed at camp.

"Are you all right?" He asked Alexander as they walked into the camp. He cast him a strange look.

"Sure." Alexander replied, forcing a smile.

Hercules and John exchanged silent looks. Hercules closed his eyes and shook his head. John frowned. Alexander ignored them.

"General Washington has created a schedule and allotted you the space to train your men over the next two weeks. There will be a small amount of paperwork, but not nearly so much as I receive weekly. If I can handle my share of paperwork, I'm sure that you can handle yours." John said as they walked throughout camp.

Alexander nodded.

"And this is where I leave you." John gestured towards a run-down shack. Presumably, the shack was meant to be Alexander and Hercules' quarters. Everyone understood that the rest of the men would sleep in the ragged canvas tents dotting the camp.

"Thank you, Colonel Laurens." Hercules said.

Both he and John then looked at Alexander expectantly. Alexander stared back at them. He was not quite paying attention. Hercules nudged Alexander in the ribs. Alexander looked to him in surprise before catching the look on his face.

"Oh." He mumbled. "Right. Thank you, John."

John blushed as he gave a perfunctory nod and departed for Washington's quarters. Hercules turned to look at Alexander. His expression was one of extreme disapproval.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one with social graces?" Hercules wondered. "You can't very well call him _John_ while we are here. Suppose General Washington heard you."

"I assume that he is aware of the existence of Colonel Laurens' Christian name." Alexander murmured.

"Hamilton." Hercules folded his arms across his chest.

"I believe that's Captain Hamilton, if we are to address each other by the appropriate rank." Alexander bit back.

Hercules exhaled and shook his head.

"Forget it." He said. "Go write your letter to Eliza."

He stalked off before Alexander could come up with a response.

It was just as well, Alexander figured. He had a letter to write.

* * *

Alexander continued to walk through his work as he waited for Eliza to respond to his letters. He did not pay much attention to the paperwork that he and Hercules were churning out. He was confident that even his lackluster efforts were equal to the best efforts of most other men.

Hercules had all but given up on reproaching Alexander for his lack of enthusiasm. Alexander figured it was because he finally understood that there was no way that Alexander could be enthusiastic. He had experienced Eliza's affections only to have them cruelly taken from him again. It was a wonder that he hoisted himself out of bed every morning.

John, though, had not yet given up.

"Colonel Hamilton," He said, carefully adhering to Washington's requirement that everyone be addressed by rank. "I received your report this morning. It's…"

He looked around for anyone who might be listening in. He leaned closer to Alexander, his brows knitting together in concern.

"Alex, it isn't your best work." He said in a low voice.

Alexander frowned.

"Perhaps it is not my best work, but it must be among the best work that you have reviewed this morning." He argued. "I have met the other captains at this camp. Herc and I are the only ones with half a brain."

"The other captains are not interested in attaining a position with General Washington. He knows that you are capable of much more than this - as do I. He will not hire you if he does not believe you are not taking your work seriously." John said.

"How could he know? He does not know my capabilities. He has only spoken to me a handful of times." Alexander shook his head.

He knew that John was being dramatic; likely out of a concern for his own job. He feared that if Alexander was not impressive enough for Washington, Washington would blame John for recommending him. It was a rather selfish concern, and a most unwelcome one. Alexander had worries enough without John adding on.

"Everyone can see the difference in your conduct quite plainly." John insisted. "Before…when we were still in New York, it was as though you were a different person. General Washington was very impressed with you. Now, he asks me if you have sustained a head injury since joining the militia. What am I supposed to tell him?"

"You may tell him that I have lost the love of the only woman who matters." Alexander sniped. He was growing tired of the constant criticism from his so-called friends. "It is difficult to see the merit in such petty trifles when Eliza loathes me."

"It has been weeks!" John threw up his arms in exasperation. "How long are you going to permit this woman to destroy your life?"

"You do not understand what it is like to be in such pain!" Alexander replied, his voice rising with anger. It cracked at the last word. Alexander swallowed hard and struggled to continue. "To be in such… _agony_. We loved one another, Eliza and I. And then she…she stopped loving me, without my consent. She no longer loves me, but I still love her. What am I meant to do with that?"

"Do you think I truly do not understand what it is to love someone who does not love you back?" John asked incredulously.

"How could you? You have never loved anyone in your life. Even if you had, they would love you back. You have land, you have status, you have money…" Alexander's volume increased with each listed item. He rolled his eyes.

"The only reason anyone could love me is for what I may own?" John demanded, his voice trembling with rage.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Hercules stormed over to where John and Alexander were glowering at one another.

Hercules grabbed Alexander by the arm and dragged him away. John watched as they departed, before turning and walking in the direction of Washington's quarters. Alexander was sure that John would tell Washington something about their dispute; something to poison his mind against Alexander further.

"What was that?" Hercules demanded once John had disappeared. He gestured in the direction of the spot where Alexander and John had been standing.

Alexander folded his arms across his chest. He lifted his chin and pouted.

"I don't know what you mean." He said.

"Quit it, Hammie. You cannot fool me as easily as you can fool the rest of the men at this camp." Hercules dismissed his lie right away. "What possessed you to speak to John that way? He is your oldest and most loyal friend."

"He _was_ my friend." Alexander corrected him. "But no man who seeks to undermine me in such a way could dare call himself my friend."

"He is no longer your friend because he suggested that you are more capable than you are leading General Washington to believe?" Hercules' tone was one of skepticism. He was trying to make Alexander feel foolish. "You _are_ more capable than this. You have been walking through your work since we got here. If you want General Washington to promote you, you must give him a reason to do so. You must get back to your former self."

"You don't understand." Alexander protested.

It seemed impossible for any of his friends to understand. John had never seriously courted anyone, so he could not possibly understand the pain of rejection. Hercules' first and only love was his shop. That had not been taken from him. He was still happy.

"No, Hammie. _You_ don't understand. Do you really believe that John confronted you because he wanted to undermine you? Do you think that, if he wanted for you to look foolish before General Washington, he would advise you to improve your work?"

"I suppose not." Alexander sulked.

"Do you want to know why it is that John pesters you about improving your work?" Hercules continued as though he had not heard Alexander. "It is because he wants you to get promoted by General Washington. He cares about your career. He cares about _you_. He loves you, Hammie. He's loved you for _years_. You've just been too self-absorbed to see it."

Alexander looked at Hercules as though he was crazy. He very well might have been.

"I don't…" He started, shaking his head.

"I know that you don't." Hercules sighed. "You never do. You never saw it when John bent over backwards just to get you in a position to meet Eliza Schuyler, and you never saw it when Angelica Schuyler risked her own reputation to help you deserve her sister. They weren't doing it because they were looking for a new hobby, Hammie. They love you. You may be the only person in the entire country who is lucky enough to have two people - two _exceptional_ people - love you, and you are hurting them both at every chance you get. You must stop all of this nonsense with Eliza Schuyler. Look to what you have, not to what you have lost. If you will not do it for your own sense of peace, do it for theirs."

He walked off before Alexander could come up with a response.

Alexander stood where he was, his head spinning.

After that afternoon, his work began to improve.


	9. Chapter 9

"Fire!" Hercules shouted across the lines.

His shout was followed by the roar of fifteen cannons firing in tandem. Alexander glanced over his shoulder to take in the sight of a line of cannons expelling billows of smoke. Hercules' face was smudged with soot and gunpowder.

"Captain Hamilton!" One of Washington's commanders shouted, redirecting Alexander's attention. "The ammunition!"

Alexander let out a sigh and continued moving across the field towards the commander who had run out of ammunition. He was crawling on his hands and knees, risking being trampled, as well as mud and blood stains, in order to deliver the required ammunitions to the commander.

"Captain Hamilton, return to the line!" John rode over on his horse and positioned himself between Alexander and the commander. "General Washington has called for a retreat. You and Captain Mulligan must prepare the artillery for movement!"

"Yes, sir!" Alexander called back.

He crawled back to the artillery line, where Hercules was already assisting some of their men in loading the cannons onto carts. He set to work assisting where he could, and ordering the men in his company when there was nothing else he could do.

As Washington's forces began to retreat, Alexander looked to Hercules.

"Lead the front of the line." Alexander called to him. "I'll follow up at the rear."

Hercules paused for only a second. The rear was the most dangerous and consequently least desirable position during a retreat. It was the rear which was usually harassed and attacked by British forces. Alexander's odds of dying during this battle increased exponentially if he was placed at the rear.

"All right." There was no time for Hercules to argue.

They finished packing up the equipment and joined the line of soldiers retreating. They were among the last of the companies to join the line. Alexander would not only be bringing up the rear of his own company - he would be bringing up the rear of all of Washington's forces. Death was now a near certainty.

Alexander tried to ignore thoughts of death as he mounted his horse and followed up the line of retreating soldiers. The sound of hooves following behind him caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up.

The sound of hooves began to die off as they neared camp. Alexander's posture relaxed somewhat. A few bullets had whistled past him throughout the retreat. Some had even caught the men in front of him.

 _I will not have to worry about that now. Not until the next battle_ , Alexander thought to himself.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard the sound of a gun firing in the distance. Seconds later, a searing pain erupted throughout his body. He looked to his shoulder, the source of the pain. There was a large hole in his jacket - a hole which had not been there a moment ago. Blood had already begun pouring out of the hole.

"Captain Hamilton!" Hercules shouted.

"It's all right, Captain Mulligan." Alexander called back through gritted teeth. "Carry on."

"Captain Hamilton…" Hercules protested. His voice was not that of a carefully controlled commander. He allowed his concern to seep into his voice.

" _Carry on_." Alexander insisted.

Hercules cast him a meaningful look before nodding. The procession carried on after Washington's forces. Alexander bunched up the handkerchief in his pocket and held it against his wound, hoping to slow the bleeding.

He hoped that he would live until they reached camp. If he did not, though, he hoped that Eliza would grieve for him.

* * *

Alexander survived long enough to arrive at camp. According to the physician, he might not have survived, had the journey been even ten minutes longer. He was quickly bandaged and given a bed in the makeshift infirmary.

Once it was clear that he would not die - at least, absent any infections or unexpected complications - Alexander was allowed to receive visitors. Washington was his first. Alexander did not even try to hide his surprise.

"Your Excellency." He said, struggling to his feet so that he might bow before Washington.

"At ease." Washington waved off his effort with a small smile. Alexander had never seen Washington smile before. "I wanted to thank you for the bravery that you demonstrated today. Captain Mulligan tells me that you volunteered to follow up my forces, knowing full well the dangers that your position would pose."

"Captain Mulligan is generous in his praises, sir." Alexander replied as modestly as he could.

"That may be, but he is correct to praise you in this instance. You could have assigned the task to any one of your men." Washington said.

"I would never ask a man to do a task which I would not do, myself." Alexander said.

He was not bragging; he was making a statement about leadership that he knew Washington would agree with. Washington was always placing himself in danger among his men. He respected men who behaved similarly.

Washington nodded.

"I am in need of another aide in my camp." He said. "As the war continues, I find that more and more people seek out my correspondence. Would you be interested in such a position?"

"It would be my honor to serve you in any capacity, Your Excellency." Alexander answered straight away.

"Very good." Washington approved. He nodded a second time before turning on his heels. "I expect you to report to my quarters the moment that you are able to write again. I look forward to seeing your work, Colonel Hamilton."

 _Colonel Hamilton_.

The title was music to his ears.

"Congratulations, Colonel Hamilton." A nearby nurse said, fixing Alexander with a bright smile.

"Thank you." Alexander said, returning her smile. He then paused, considering her. "Do you know how to write?"

The nurse blushed. Alexander hoped that he had not embarrassed her. One could not assume, in this day and age, that a woman - especially a woman belonging to a lower class - knew how to read or write. Education was rarely afforded to women.

"Yes." She said, still blushing. "I know how to write."

"Could you do me a tremendous favor?" Alexander pressed. "You see, with my shoulder…I cannot write until it heals, but there is a letter I must write tonight."

* * *

The nurse, a woman named Maria Lewis, wrote a letter while Alexander dictated for two nights in a row before she asked any questions. When she did, it caught Alexander by surprise.

"You must really care about this Miss Schuyler." She remarked, looking down at the letter in her hands with a smile.

"I do." Alexander agreed.

"If you don't mind me asking…what did you do to anger her?" Maria asked, casting Alexander a shy look. "You apologize in every letter, but you never say what it is that you are apologizing for."

"I, uh, I lied to her." Alexander replied, looking down at his lap. "I told her that I belonged to a more prestigious family than I really do, in order to court her. I had hoped that she would grow to love me as I worked to attain the status required to marry her, but…once she found out, she was so angry. She is still so angry. I can only hope that my letters will change her mind."

"That doesn't sound so bad to me." Maria said, folding the letter in her hands. She looked Alexander over with big, blue eyes. Alexander had never noticed how blue her eyes were.

Alexander tried to shrug. He winced at the pain the act brought about.

Maria smiled as she adjusted his pillow beneath him.

* * *

"The paper has arrived, Colonel Hamilton." Maria plopped the aforementioned paper on Alexander's bed first thing in the morning.

Though Alexander had since recovered from his injury, he was forced to reside in the medic's tent. Washington had distributed all of the appropriate quarters when they first returned. Now, there was nowhere but the medic's tent for Alexander to sleep. He found that he did not mind. He enjoyed the company of his fellow injured soldiers, as well as the medic staff.

"Good." Alexander unfolded the newspaper, his brows furrowing. "I would like to hear how Congress is blaming the militia for the most recent lack of rations."

Maria smiled and shook her head. She laughed. She laughed at most of the things that Alexander said. Alexander was not accustomed to such treatment.

"I cannot understand why you read that thing if you know it's going to make you angry." She remarked.

"There is a certain pleasure in being outraged." Alexander replied, not looking up from the newspaper.

Maria laughed again.

From behind the newspaper, Alexander smiled.

"Hammie?" Hercules poked his head into the tent with a hesitant smile. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Ask my warden." Alexander replied, gesturing towards Maria.

Maria laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she turned to look at Hercules. Alexander grinned. Hercules smiled indulgently, but was very obviously not so amused.

"May I?" He asked Maria.

Maria nodded deferentially. She may have been the nurse, but she was still lower ranking than both Alexander and Hercules. Despite their teasing, she was required to acquiesce to their requests.

"You may." She agreed.

"Thank you." Hercules said, sparing Maria a sardonic smile.

He walked across the infirmary towards Alexander, ignoring the other injured men that he passed. Alexander tried to maintain his smile as Hercules approached.

He had yet to tell Hercules that Washington had promoted him to an aide. He was ashamed to admit that he had not even considered Hercules when he had accepted the promotion. Hercules would be left alone in command of the company. He would have to work a lot harder, or find another captain that he tolerated enough to work with.

"Listen, Hammie. I've got to talk to you." Hercules said as he took a seat beside Alexander's cot.

"All right." Alexander said. He licked his lips and nodded his head. He tried to tamp down his own apprehension. "I've got to talk to you, too."

"Please permit me go first." Hercules implored him.

Alexander nodded. He would think about how to phrase his own news while Hercules spoke.

"I spoke with General Washington following your injury." Hercules began.

Alexander's nerves got the better of him. He assumed that Washington had told Hercules about Alexander's promotion; he might have told Hercules that Alexander did not think about dissolving their partnership before accepting the promotion.

"General Washington promoted me to an aide." He blurted out before Hercules could finish his own news.

Hercules let out a sigh and shook his head.

"I knew that you wouldn't allow me to share my news first." He mumbled without much malice. He met Alexander's eyes and quirked a small smile. "I know that General Washington promoted you. He promoted me, too. Before he extended the offer of an aide to you, he pulled me aside and warned me of his intentions. He felt compelled to tell me, as it would put me in an uncomfortable position as the only captain of our company. He offered me a promotion, as well. I will return to New York to join a spy ring that he is organizing. The company that we have created will be absorbed into Washington's troops. He intended to advise you of my promotion when you protested your own promotion, but it seems that you did not protest your promotion in the slightest."

Hercules cast Alexander a pointed look. Alexander frowned regretfully. He could feel his ears reddening with embarrassment.

"Herc, I'm sorry." He said. "I did not take the time to consider -"

"I was only trying to make you feel guilty." Hercules waved off Alexander's apology, a grin blooming on his face. "To tell you the truth, Hammie, I'm glad to be returning to New York. I fear I do not possess the proper disposition for war. Spying will suit me much better."

Alexander smiled, relieved. He had been dreading this conversation for days, now.

"I stopped by to tell you that I have been instructed to return to New York in two days' time." Hercules said, his smile fading somewhat.

"So soon?" Alexander wondered at Washington's efficiency.

He felt a strange pang in his stomach. Hercules had been his first friend when he arrived in New York for the first time. Hercules had been around for all of Alexander's triumphs and failures in America since then. Moving forward as an aide de camp would be the first time that Alexander would be without Hercules' reluctant guidance.

Hercules shrugged.

"I go where I am told." He replied, ending any sort of debate about his departure date. He then leaned closer to Alexander, lowering his voice a bit. "But hey, before I go - do yourself a favor and stop writing those stupid letters to Eliza Schuyler, will you? Now that you are an aide, you can make yourself an advantageous match in your own right. Look for a lady with whom you do not have the history you have with Miss Schuyler."

"Herc." Alexander protested, shaking his head.

"Miss Lewis has not stopped looking at you since I first arrived. Perhaps she would not object to a match with one Colonel Hamilton." Hercules suggested, disregarding Alexander's protests. He glanced over his shoulder at Maria, who was, in fact, looking in their direction. Her face reddened when she realized that she had been caught. She busied herself with changing a man's bandages.

"She is likely ensuring that you do not injure me further." Alexander said, rolling his eyes.

Hercules shook his head.

"You deserve to be happy, Hammie." He said solemnly. "Do not allow Miss Schuyler to make you feel otherwise."

Having said that, Hercules rose to his feet. He tipped a slight bow in Alexander's direction - Alexander realized with a start that it was now necessary for Hercules to do so, as Alexander outranked him - then nodded in Maria's direction. She curtsied back.

"I'll see you around, Alex." Hercules said without much conviction.

It occurred to Alexander that he might never see Hercules again. The war had created an uncertainty that Alexander had not anticipated.

"Yeah." He agreed, despite the uncertainty. "I'll see you around."

He watched as Hercules strode out of the tent. Once Hercules disappeared from sight, he sat in a puzzled sort of silence.

"Are you all right, Colonel Hamilton?" Maria asked him after a while.

"I will be." Alexander assured her.

They were both quiet for a moment. Alexander took a moment to assess Maria. She was pretty; it was not the first time that he had noticed her looks. He liked how easily smiling came to her. She was intelligent, too. Perhaps she was not intelligent in the well-bred, sophisticated way that Eliza was, but she was knowledgeable on the subject of medicine and she spoke her mind well enough. She would be a suitable match for any officer, no matter the dowry that she might or might not bring with her.

"Colonel Hamilton?" Maria fidgeted uncomfortably under Alexander's stare.

Alexander cleared his throat uncomfortably and forced a smile that was meant to placate her.

"Would you like to start your letter to Miss Schuyler for the day?" Maria asked.

"No," Alexander replied slowly. "No, I think that I had better take a break from writing to Miss Schuyler."

It would be the first time in six months that he did not send a letter.


	10. Chapter 10

Alexander began to court Maria once he left the infirmary. Alexander had brought up the matter with Maria the day after Hercules left camp. She had accepted his request to pay her courtship, but only after he had left her care. She did not wish to be accused of improper conduct by allowing a man living under her quarters to court her.

Washington had found a space for Alexander about a week after he had asked to pay court to Maria. It had been a terribly long week, but it had been one full of secret smiles and whispered promises. Alexander found himself thinking less about Eliza, and more about Maria's laughter. He tried very hard to love Maria the way that he loved Eliza. Or, _had_ loved Eliza. He was continually reminding himself that he no longer loved Eliza.

The space that Washington had found for Alexander was hardly ideal; he was sleeping on the floor of Washington's quarters on a cot placed beside John's. It did not matter, though. Alexander spent a majority of his time at his desk. He spent the rest of his remaining time loitering around the medic's tent until the annoyed medic shooed him away.

During the times when Alexander was tied to his desk, Maria loitered around Washington's quarters. Washington said that he did not mind, so long as Alexander's work did not suffer. John quite clearly minded, but he was far too polite to do more than roll his eyes in a passive aggressive manner.

Alexander would have had a very hard time looking for something to complain about, were it not for one glaring annoyance: Washington kept him out of any fighting that took place. It was an infuriating aspect of his job; one which he had not thought about when he accepted the promotion. Every battle, every skirmish, every espionage mission…Alexander was stuck by Washington's side, along with John and a French general who went by the name Lafayette.

Lafayette was not the only general with whom Alexander had grown acquainted since he had begun to work for Washington. Washington seemed to be grooming him to be an important man in society.

Presently, Alexander found himself sitting in a room filled with men of such high status that he could not shake the fear that he would be asked to leave once he was discovered.

"Colonel Hamilton is my most promising aide." Washington was telling one such man; General Greene.

"Is that so?" Greene asked politely. "You must be quite impressive to merit such praise from General Washington. He so rarely has kind words for those in his employ."

The rest of the men in the room laughed. Washington forced a tight smile. Alexander knew him well enough to know that he did not like being laughed at. He was remarkably sensitive for such an important man.

"I dare not ask for a better employer than General Washington." Alexander replied, hoping that his words would appease Washington while charming the men around him.

"And yet, Congress is a rather bothersome employer, is it not, General Washington?" Another man, General Knox, boomed. "I relish the idea that I will once more return to my own employ."

"We are all of us facing a difficult situation. Under such circumstances, no man can be the leader which he wishes to be." Washington replied vaguely. "Yet, I, too, find myself looking forward to returning to my home, where I answer to no man but God."

"What is your occupation, Colonel Hamilton?" Greene asked Alexander. "Outside of the war, I mean."

"I left university to pursue the patriot cause." Alexander replied, his ears reddening somewhat.

He did not wish to disclose that he had had to work while going to school in order to pay his room and board. He wanted these men to consider him their equal, even as he knew himself to be their inferior.

"How very noble. What were you studying?" Greene asked.

If he suspected Alexander of low status, he did not show it. He appeared genuinely interested in Alexander's academic pursuits. Not even Alexander's professors had been interested in his academic pursuits.

"Law." He replied. He hoped that he did not sound too immodest when he added. "I was studying at King's College."

"A very good school. General Washington, how do you always manage to snag the very best aides? I remember trying to recruit Colonel Hamilton when he was only Captain Hamilton, but could not convince him to leave his company." Knox complained playfully.

Alexander's blush deepened. He had been hoping that Knox would forget about his spurned offer when they were reintroduced.

Knox had written to him after a brief exchange during a skirmish in New York, offering him a job as an aide. Alexander had rejected the offer after conferring with Hercules and John. He figured that he had to work for Washington, specifically, or be a war hero in order to win Eliza over. No one would remember the name of an aide for one of Washington's generals.

"I suppose it is a perk of my position." Washington replied with a small attempt at a smile.

Washington did not smile very often. He was a rather grim man. Alexander tried not to hold that against him. He figured that he would be rather grim, too, if he were the commander-in-chief for an unkempt militia that could not seem to win.

"Perhaps I will poach Colonel Hamilton away from your employ once you have sufficiently trained him." Knox teased. "I will offer to pay him double the amount that you are paying him."

"Colonel Hamilton accepts no salary from Congress." Washington replied, his voice reaching an unmistakable note of pride.

Alexander could not help but smile once he heard Washington's tone. He could not hide his pleasure at having received Washington's approval. It was an extraordinary accomplishment.

"Ah! You and Colonel Hamilton are one in the same." Knox chuckled dismissively. "I don't suppose I had better poach him from you, after all."

Alexander joined the men in a bout of laughter. He relished the wonderful sensation of being accepted for who he was, instead of being rejected for who he was not.

* * *

After the supper with Washington and his generals, Alexander stumbled over to the medic's tent. He had consumed enough wine to make his brain feel fuzzy, but he had promised Maria that he would meet her once he was through with his social obligations.

Maria was just inside the tent, folding the linens that had been drying on the line that afternoon. She smiled when she saw Alexander. Alexander liked that she smiled when she saw him. He never worried about where he stood in her eyes. She made it abundantly clear that he was loved.

"Hello." He greeted her, his voice unnaturally drawn-out and sloppy.

"Hello." Maria echoed, her voice laced with laughter. "It looks like you enjoyed your supper with the generals."

Alexander grinned, unashamed.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Maria asked, unbothered by Alexander's drunkenness. "I'm nearly finished here."

"Yes." Alexander agreed straight away.

There was a momentary pause while Maria finished the folding. Once she was finished with it, she stepped out of the tent and joined Alexander in the night air. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, dissolving into giggles when she caught sight of Alexander's smile. Alexander laughed, too.

"What did you men talk about during your secret supper? Are you allowed to tell me?" Maria teased him as they walked.

Alexander did not mind being teased. He knew it was well-intentioned.

"I would tell you, but I fear that it would bore you to tears." He responded, his smile fading into a comfortable cross between his resting face and the remnant of his smile. "We spoke of little other than one another."

"What was said of you?" Maria inquired, seemingly interested.

Alexander could not hide his pride, nor did he have much interest in trying.

"General Washington seemed very pleased with the work that I have done for him so far." He said. "General Knox said that he envied General Washington for having me in his employ."

Maria clucked her tongue and shook her head.

"Imagine," She said, her tone one of wonder. "I am walking with a man so brilliant that the most important men in the world are fighting over him."

"Hardly the most important men in the world. I should say the country." Alexander corrected her good-naturedly. "Though it is still a tremendous honor."

"You are too humble." Maria nudged his shoulder playfully. It was a toward and impolite act, but it made Alexander feel at home.

"General Washington values humility." He retorted, grinning.

Maria laughed. She laughed loud enough that the sound carried through the quiet of the night.

"Perhaps General Washington values it," She agreed, still laughing. "But I cannot see why you should seek to impress General Washington right now. You should embellish your accomplishments so that you might impress me."

"Are you not impressed with me, already?" Alexander feigned injury.

"Oh, I am very impressed with you. That does not mean it is impossible for me to be _more_ impressed with you." Maria rationed.

"How impressed with me do you need to be?" Alexander wondered.

"That depends," Maria replied, her mouth curving into an alluring smile.

"On what?" Alexander could not resist playing into whatever it was that she was doing.

"On what you want me to do." Maria answered.

The sound of their laughter could be heard all throughout camp.

* * *

"No." John said as soon as Alexander brought up the idea.

"Well, why not?" Alexander protested, feeling as though John was being rather unfair.

"Why not?" John echoed with a disbelieving laugh. "Because you have only known her for two weeks. You have older quills on your desk."

"General Washington met his wife only twice before they were wed." Alexander knew that citing Washington as a measure of good judgment would win him the argument.

John spared a glance in the direction of Washington's closed door. He leaned closer to Alexander, his eyes narrowed.

"General Washington married Mrs. Washington because it was an advantageous match which required no thought." He whispered, not taking his eyes off of Washington's door. "Miss Lewis can hardly compare to Mrs. Washington. She does not bring money, land, or status."

"She loves me." Alexander said, as though this simple fact compensated for her lack of a dowry.

"Do not make this mistake because Miss Schuyler has led you to believe that love is a rare commodity." John pleaded. "Miss Lewis is a fine girl, but not the sort that you should be considering for a wife. Let her be your entertainment until you find a more suitable match."

"I would prefer you not speak of her that way." Alexander said coolly.

"Marriage is a big decision." John tried to circle back to his initial point. "You cannot change your mind once it is done."

Washington strode out of his office in the middle of John's statement. He looked to Alexander curiously, appraising him. Alexander felt a blush creep across his face.

"Are you considering marriage, Colonel Hamilton?" Washington inquired, his tone one of polite interest.

"Yes, sir." Alexander admitted.

"I assume we are discussing Miss Lewis from the medic's tent." Washington continued, not taking his eyes off of Alexander.

"Yes, sir." Alexander said, surprised.

He had not anticipated Washington knowing Maria's name, much less that Alexander was involved with her. Washington seemed far too busy to worry about such trivial matters. Most days, he was securing food and clothing for his troops; he was not bumping elbows with his inferiors.

"Marriage is almost always either the making of a man, or the undoing of one." Washington remarked in his usual stoic manner. He cast Alexander a pointed look. "Choose wisely, my boy."

John cast Alexander a smug look as Washington strode through the room towards the door. Both men waited until Washington had exited the building altogether before speaking again.

"See?" John said triumphantly.

"He did not say that I should not marry Maria." Alexander argued. "Perhaps he meant that I ought to marry her, for she would be the making of me."

" _You_ are the making of you, Alex." John protested. "General Washington does not know what he is talking about when it comes to this matter. I beg of you - do not do this. Wait a year. If you still wish to marry Miss Lewis after a year, then I will not protest."

Alexander shook his head. "A year is too long."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" John demanded.

"I do not know how much time I have left on this earth." Alexander replied, as though it was common sense. In his mind, it was. "I do not intend to waste a single second of it. Now, if you will excuse me, John, I am going to return to my work. I suggest you do the same."

John shook his head and spared Alexander one last look of disapproval before craning his head to read the latest reports from Charles Lee. Alexander ignored him as he did the same.

* * *

"Are you sure that you aren't ill?" Maria asked as she and Alexander walked through the fields together the following night. "You look paler than usual."

"I'm fine." Alexander assured her, forcing a smile.

His hands were trembling by his side. His heart was hammering against his chest. His whole body was drenched with a cold sweat. He was shivering despite the warm temperature.

He told himself that this reaction was only natural, as he was afraid of Maria saying 'no'. He did not allow himself to entertain the possibility that he was afraid of her saying yes. He wrestled against thoughts of Eliza. Every time he pushed them out of his head, they cropped right back up again. He did not want to think of Eliza when he was about to promise the rest of his life away to another woman…to Maria.

"All right." Maria accepted his assurance without a lot of confidence. She looked up at the stars littering the night sky. "It's pretty out tonight."

Alexander nodded without looking at the stars. He did not care whether it was pretty out or not. He tried to think of how to go about proposing. He had never proposed to a woman before. He was not quite sure what he was meant to say.

"Miss Lewis," He said, looking down at the grass below them as they spoke. "I am aware that we have only known one another for a short amount of time, but I cannot help but feel as though we have been acquainted before in another lifetime."

"I agree." Maria said, casting Alexander a pretty, demure smile.

"Perhaps it is because I feel such a way that I am emboldened to make such a request," Alexander continued, still looking down. "But I must make it now, before I lose my nerve forever. Miss Lewis, would you do me the honor of your hand?"

Maria paused, turning to look at Alexander. Alexander tore his gaze away from the ground long enough to meet her eyes. He had to know if her silence was one of repulsion or one of surprise. To his relief, she was smiling.

"Yes," She said, at last. Her tone was one of surprise, but it was also one of joy. "Yes, of course I will marry you!"

"You will?" Alexander wondered in disbelief.

"Yes!" Maria leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Alexander's neck in an incredibly untoward act. Alexander forgave her for this oversight, as she was clearly overwhelmed by emotion.

Once she untangled herself from Alexander and stepped away from him, she looked him over carefully.

"You will have to write to my father." She told him, her tone taking on a startlingly serious tone. "He cannot know that you dared to ask me without his consent."

"Of course." Alexander agreed readily.

He had planned to write to Mr. Lewis as soon as he had asked Maria. He had already drafted a letter or two. He had yet to come up with a good way of explaining how he and Maria had gotten to know one another while serving in the militia, where there were no chaperones.

"When will we get married?" Maria wondered. All seriousness disappeared from her face. A smile took its place.

Alexander smiled. He didn't know why he still felt nervous. The difficult part was over. He should have been happy now.

"As soon as I get furlough." He said.

He figured that he was still nervous because they were not yet married. Maria could still find someone who she preferred. They could be separated through some unforeseeable act, delaying the marriage until the war had ended. Alexander told himself that he simply wanted everything to be settled. The sooner he was married, the sooner that he would be happy.

"Promise me that you'll ask General Washington for furlough soon." Maria looked up at Alexander, her eyes alight.

Alexander smiled back at her.

Yes, he would definitely be happy once they settled down.

"I will ask him tomorrow." He promised.

They were nearing the camp. Alexander could hear the crackle of dying fires. Prostitutes were beginning to stumble from shoddy tents and officer's quarters. A few men were sitting on rotting logs, drinking the small ration of rum that Washington afforded his soldiers. Their laughter made Maria look over her shoulder in their direction.

"I should return to the medic's quarters." She said with a small smile.

Alexander nodded. He knew that she could not afford to be caught outside with him at this hour. Though they were now engaged, everyone would suspect the worst.

"Goodnight." He said, bending down to plant a kiss on her hand.

"Goodnight." She whispered back, walking off in the direction of her tent.

"Goodnight." Alexander whispered to himself before returning to Washington's quarters.

* * *

Alexander was at work early the next morning. He was hoping to speak to Washington before anyone else showed up; John, in particular. He did not want anyone to hear his request for furlough. He was unwilling to deal with the judgment of others at the moment. He was far too consumed with his own strange feeling of dread.

Luckily, Washington strolled into the office just as the sun was beginning to rise. He looked at Alexander curiously. He demanded that his aides begin their work at six o'clock in the morning, but did not ask them to show up any earlier. Given the late hours that they often worked, the aides typically did not arrive until six o'clock on the dot.

"Hello, Colonel Hamilton." Washington recovered from his surprise with his typical, maddening amount of grace. "Dare I ask what I have done to deserve the honor of your presence so early in the morning?"

"I had a few unresolved matters to tend to." Alexander lied, glancing down at his desk.

Washington quirked an eyebrow.

"Is this a matter with which I should be concerned?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

"No, sir." Alexander replied hastily. "I also wished to broach the subject of furlough with you, sir."

"I see." Washington hummed. His posture relaxed somewhat. "I suppose this request for furlough has something to do with the lovely Miss Lewis?"

"Yes, sir." Alexander said, his face reddening.

"Hm." Washington rubbed his jawline with his right hand, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It is a bit soon for a furlough request - you have only been in my employ for a few weeks."

Alexander nodded, his blush deepening further. He had worried that Washington would consider his request improper. If rumors were to be believed, Washington valued propriety in his officers above all other things.

"I will grant you furlough if you accompany me to the Schuyler mansion this coming weekend." Washington said after a pause. "General Schuyler is a man with whom I should like you to be acquainted. He has the means to elevate you in New York society."

Alexander felt his expression fall. Judging from the way that Washington quirked his eyebrow, it was equally obvious to him. Alexander knew better than to explain his acquaintance with the Schuyler sisters to Washington; Washington would think less of him for lying to ladies of such high status.

"Yes, sir." He said without protest. "It would be an honor."


	11. Chapter 11

"I don't want you to go." Maria pouted as Alexander saddled and packed his and Washington's horses for the journey.

Alexander sighed as he turned to look at Maria.

"It is an opportunity which I could not pass up." He reminded her. "General Washington instructed me to accompany him, with the agreement that I would receive furlough upon my return. I am doing this for you and I."

Maria snorted and shook her head.

" _She_ will be there, will she not?" She demanded.

Alexander did not bother asking who it was that Maria referred to. He knew well enough that she was talking about Eliza.

"Of course she will not be there." He assured her. "For what purpose would she attend a dinner between General Schuyler and General Washington? This dinner is purely for the purpose of the war."

Maria pursed her lips.

"Promise me that you will return to me after your dinner with General Schuyler." She said. She stared up at him with wide eyes, her mouth downturned.

"I promise." Alexander replied, smiling down at her. "Even if Miss Schuyler were to attend the dinner, I can assure you that I do not have any remaining feelings for her. It has been months since I have last spoken to her. You have nothing to worry about. I am, and will continue to be, faithful to you."

"Colonel Hamilton." Washington addressed him from a few feet away.

He nodded respectfully in Maria's direction. Maria dropped into a deep and thoroughly respectful curtsy. Alexander smiled at her approvingly. Such propriety was certainly a desirable trait in a wife.

"Your Excellency." Alexander bowed to Washington. "The horses are packed and prepared for the journey."

"Very good." Washington approved. "Let us not dwell; we have a great deal of ground to cover in a small amount of time."

"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed.

He moved to join Washington with one last smile in Maria's direction. She smiled back at him reluctantly. Alexander allowed this to reassure him that all was well.

* * *

Washington was quiet for most of the ride. Alexander did not mind the silence. It gave him the opportunity to think about other matters, such as an opinion piece he intended to write for a New York newspaper.

Every once in a while, Washington would break the silence to ask Alexander for his opinions on several matters. Rations for the soldiers, geographical locations that the British might attack, the best way to elicit funds from Congress…complex topics were discussed for a few minutes at a time. After Alexander had given his answer, Washington would fall into silence once more.

They rode for hours until the familiar sight of New York came into view.

Once Alexander recognized his surroundings, he could hardly keep still. He looked about, hoping to see familiar faces.

"You attended college in this area, did you not?" Washington remarked, following Alexander's curious gaze.

"Yes, sir." Alexander replied.

Washington nodded to himself, considering Alexander's answer. Washington seemed to think about his words more carefully than any other man that Alexander had ever met. He thought for an hour and spoke for five minutes.

"Did you ever meet the Schuyler family during your stay in New York?" Washington asked after a few minutes of silence. "They are a rather prominent family in the area, if I am not mistaken."

Alexander cleared his throat uncomfortably. He knew that he could not lie to Washington about having met Eliza, Angelica, and, at times, Peggy Schuyler. If any of the sisters were present at the dinner, they would give away his lie immediately.

"Yes, sir. I had the pleasure of meeting General Schuyler's three daughters at various social events." He replied ambiguously.

"Was General Schuyler in attendance at any of these events?" Washington inquired after an uncharacteristically short amount of time.

"No, sir." Alexander said. "I believe his daughters attended the events on his behalf."

Washington nodded to himself.

"You are in luck." He said after the usual pause. "It is my understanding that the Schuyler sisters will be in attendance at tonight's dinner."

Alexander felt the color drain from his face.

"Is that right?" He asked weakly.

Washington nodded, enveloping himself once more in the silence which he seemed to prefer.

The Schuyler mansion came into view. Alexander felt less certain than he had five minutes ago. The mansion appeared more daunting now than it had when he had last visited it. The idea of Eliza Schuyler waiting within it made Alexander want to turn around and never look back.

However, disappointing Washington was not an option. If he displeased Washington, he would not get furlough to marry Maria. Worse still, he would likely be demoted to a lowly infantryman. He could not afford to regress in society. As it was, the war was in danger of ending without him achieving any esteem at all.

"Mr. Laurens!" Jack, the servant that Alexander had come to know during his courtship of Eliza, called out as Alexander and Washington approached the stables on their horses. "How are you, sir?"

Washington looked to Alexander curiously. Alexander felt a blush erupt across his face. He cleared his throat and lowered his eyes.

"I believe you are mistaken, sir." He said pathetically. "For Colonel Laurens is a friend of mine. I am Colonel Hamilton."

Jack looked surprised. However, he seemed sensible of Alexander's embarrassment. Instead of arguing, he bowed.

"My mistake, sir. May I take your horses?" He asked.

Both Alexander and Washington slid off of their horses. Washington handed the reins of his horse over to Jack without a word. He was more accustomed to being served than Alexander was.

"Thank you, Jack." Alexander said as he handed over his own reins. He spoke in a low voice, so that Washington would not hear. "I apologize for my conduct, I am simply -"

"There is no need to explain yourself to me, Colonel Hamilton." Jack interrupted Alexander, his tone markedly cooler than it had been when they first arrived. Alexander understood that he had offended Jack by treating him as a mere servant for Washington's benefit. He could not object to Jack taking such offense.

Alexander nodded grimly. He could not stand around and apologize to Jack while Washington was waiting for him. He was forced to turn away and leave Jack to his anger.

Washington strode up to the front door of the Schuyler mansion with Alexander trailing at his heels. He rapped his knuckle against the door three times. Within seconds, the door swung open. Another servant of the Schuyler family opened the door. He spared Alexander a curious glance, but did not comment on his presence the way that Jack had.

"Gentlemen, please come in." The servant stepped back to allow Washington and Alexander entry into the room. "General Schuyler is occupied at the moment, but he has set aside rooms for each of you to stay in. Shall I escort you to your rooms to get dressed for dinner?"

"Yes, please." Washington agreed.

Alexander nodded, looking around the foyer warily. He expected Eliza or Angelica to appear in the eaves, waiting to stir up trouble for him. He could not imagine that they would not find a way to make his visit to the Schuyler mansion troublesome.

The servant led Alexander and Washington up the grand staircase towards their rooms. Alexander had never ascended the staircase before. He had always been tempted by it, for it held the promise of an intimacy beyond mere friendship.

"Here is your room, General Washington." The servant showed Washington to his room first. It was expected, as Washington was higher ranking than Alexander.

Washington nodded and entered the room allotted to him. He closed the door behind him. The servant moved on without a second thought. He did not look back to see if Alexander was following him.

"And here is your room, sir." The servant opened the door to the room that was allotted to Alexander. "Please let me know if there is anything else which you will require during your stay."

"Thank you." Alexander said, walking into his room.

The servant glanced over his shoulder in surprise as Alexander closed the door.

Once alone in his room, Alexander threw his saddle bag onto a chair. He opened it and hung up his dinner clothes. They had not gotten terribly dusty during the ride. He would appear suitable for the occasion.

After hanging up his saddle bag, Alexander removed paper and a quill from his bag. He sat at the small desk in his room and began a letter to Maria. He was determined not to forget himself while staying at the Schuyler mansion.

Just as he was thinking of a poetic way to describe Maria's face, there was a knock on his door. Alexander leapt to his feet, assuming that either Washington or General Schuyler were at his door.

He strode the length of the room, adjusting his waistcoat as he moved. He mentally chided himself for not yet changing out of his riding clothes. They were not suitable for a meeting with such important men.

When he threw open his door, he was surprised to see Angelica Schuyler's smiling face on the other side.

"So you did accompany General Washington." She remarked, looking Alexander over as she spoke. "I thought Father had dreamt you up."

"Miss Schuyler." Alexander said, surprised. "Hello."

"Oh, don't start with those niceties." Angelica rolled her eyes as she strode into Alexander's room.

Alexander looked around in horror. If Washington, General Schuyler, Mrs. Schuyler, or any of the servants saw Angelica walking into his room, they would assume the worst. His reputation would be ruined along with hers. He would no longer be permitted to marry Maria; instead, he would have to marry Angelica in a futile attempt to save their reputations. He would be forever condemned to bear witness to the Schuyler family.

"Miss Schuyler, you forget yourself!" He whispered to Angelica, his tone frantic. "If you are discovered here -"

"Close the door, Alexander." Angelica said, smiling at Alexander piteously. "We will not be discovered, I can promise you. My mother is too worried about impressing General Washington with a good dinner to keep track of her own head. As for my father…I doubt that he remembers he has three daughters to account for."

Alexander sighed and closed the door. He didn't exactly trust that Angelica would not be discovered, but he had never been very good at arguing with her. She possessed a confidence that he was not accustomed to in a lady.

"I hear that you are engaged to a woman who works at General Washington's camp." Angelica remarked as she paced the length of Alexander's room.

She cast him a smile that was meant to be coy. Alexander saw the sadness through it. Hercules' words haunted him. Angelica loved him; or, she had at least loved him at one time. Alexander had spurned her the last time that they had met. The news of his engagement had likely hurt her.

"I am." He admitted, not meeting Angelica's eyes.

"Is she a prostitute?" Angelica asked.

Alexander looked up to meet Angelica's eyes. She was still smiling, but her smile was less sad than it had been. There was more amusement, and far more wickedness, in her smile now.

"What?" Alexander asked, bewildered. "No, she is not a prostitute. What on this earth could lead you to believe that I would marry a prostitute?"

"I cannot imagine another kind of woman you would meet around a soldier's camp." Angelica remarked, dropping into one of the armchairs in the room. She cocked her head to the side as she considered him. "Was she there to nurse her brother back to health? Her son? No gentlewoman is taking to the fields for such a purpose, so she could not be very well-bred."

"Enough of the guessing. Miss Lewis is a nurse for the field medic - an honorable position for a woman to maintain. She does not come from a family like yours, to be sure, but she is a good woman with good manners. Are you satisfied?" Alexander explained irritably.

"No," Angelica shook her head, her smiling fading. "I am not satisfied. Why did you come here tonight?"

"General Washington asked me to." Alexander replied, frowning.

"You could have told him 'no'." Angelica said. "You had no right to come here tonight and further torment my sister. She has heard of your engagement, too. Do you have any idea of the pain that you have caused her?"

"Pain?" Alexander echoed incredulously. He could not believe that Angelica was accusing him of heartlessness. "I would have proposed to your sister months ago if she only would have spoken to me. I wrote hundreds of letters to her. I clawed my way up to a higher rank to be deserving of her. I waited months for any sort of response. You cannot blame me for moving on when I did not receive one."

"Can I not? I had to hold Eliza as she cried through the night after finding out about your engagement at a party." Angelica responded without sympathy. "She was angry with you, but that does not mean that she did not love you."

A knock on the door interrupted them.

Angelica looked in the direction of the door, surprised. She had obviously not expected someone to disturb them during her visit.

Alexander was too absorbed in his thoughts to worry about the knock on the door. He had given up all hope that Eliza had any affection left for him. He had assumed that once she learned the truth about him, she had immediately stopped loving him.

There was another knock. Angelica looked to Alexander expectantly. She could not speak up, as she was not supposed to be in the room and could not risk being discovered. When Alexander did not speak up, she pinched his arm. Alexander jumped at the pain, then looked to Angelica for an explanation. Angelica gestured to the door.

"You have to answer it." She whispered.

"Oh. _Oh_!" Alexander raised his voice, looking towards the door. "Yes - what is it?"

"Dinner is about to be served, Colonel Hamilton." The servant who had shown Alexander to his room spoke through the door. "May I escort you down to announce you?"

"That would be wonderful…could you give me a moment? I am not fully dressed for dinner yet." Alexander replied, scrambling for his clothes.

"Shall I assist you with your clothes?" The servant inquired politely.

"No! No, thank you." Alexander shouted back. He looked around for any way to get Angelica out of the room without notice.

"Very good, sir." The servant mumbled, his tone one of confusion. "I will notify General Schuyler's daughters of the time, then return to escort you."

The floor creaked beneath the servant as he moved down the hallway. Alexander turned to look at Angelica. He expected her to know what to do, as it was her fault that the two of them found themselves in such a predicament.

Angelica clucked her tongue and shook her head at him.

"You should see your face." She joked, her wicked smile returning. "There is no need to be afraid of Matthew. He won't tell on me. He's let me get away with far worse for years. I'll leave you to get dressed for dinner."

Alexander shook his head as Angelica moved towards the door.

"Will Eliza be attending dinner?" He asked just before Angelica opened the door.

"She will." Angelica replied in a matter-of-fact tone. She glanced back at Alexander as she opened the door. "You had better not make her cry again."

She walked out of the room before Alexander could protest her statement. He moved forward to close the door behind her. In a stroke of what could only be described as miserable luck, he locked eyes with Washington, who had just emerged from his own room.

Washington had clearly seen Angelica emerging from Alexander's room. He spared Angelica's retreating figure a curious look before affording Alexander a curt nod. He did not say anything about the matter, nor did he do anything which might suggest that he intended to tell General Schuyler what he had seen. This did not do much to soothe Alexander's concerns.

He closed his door, his hands shaking. He turned to his dinner clothes, quickly shedding his dirty riding clothes and changing into his cleaner dinner clothes. He pulled his hair back and secured it with a new ribbon that he had procured from the nearest town to camp. He hoped that he would not enter the room just as Washington was informing General Schuyler of what he had seen.

When he opened the door again, the servant who had escorted him to the room earlier was waiting outside the doorway. He bowed as Alexander stepped into the hallway.

"Shall I escort you to dinner, sir?" He inquired.

"Yes. Thank you." Alexander mumbled, looking around for either Angelica or Eliza.

"This way, sir." The servant showed Alexander down the stairs and towards the dining room. Alexander continued to look around for any sign of the Schuyler sisters.

The servant announced Alexander as they entered the dining room. Alexander barely heard him. He was too busy staring at Eliza, who was seated at her mother's side. She did not look up as he took his seat. Her attention remained fixed on her place setting.

"Welcome, Colonel Hamilton," General Schuyler said in a jovial tone which suggested that Washington had not told him about Angelica sneaking out of Alexander's room just minutes before. "General Washington informs me that I have been corresponding with you for several months now without knowing it."

Alexander smiled politely, but could not think of any word other than _Eliza_.

"Colonel Hamilton is a rare asset to me; he thinks and speaks for me when I am otherwise indisposed." Washington said, looking in Alexander's direction.

He did not speak with the same unmistakable pride that he had when speaking to General Greene and General Knox. He was looking at Alexander with a stony expression. It made Alexander uncomfortable. He looked at his own place setting to avoid Washington's stare.

"You look familiar, Colonel Hamilton. Have we had the pleasure of your company before?" Mrs. Schuyler inquired.

Alexander looked up again. He continued to avoid Washington's stare as he looked at Mrs. Schuyler.

"I don't believe I have ever had the pleasure, madam." He replied awkwardly. "Perhaps we have seen each other about New York, as I do not hail far from here."

He hoped that Mrs. Schuyler had not managed to see him with Eliza despite his best efforts.

"I am sure that is it." Mrs. Schuyler agreed amiably.

"I have heard that you are recently engaged, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza finally spoke. She met Alexander's eyes steadily. Alexander had forgotten how much Eliza's eyes sparkled. He found himself struggling to retain the words that she was saying. "I must congratulate you."

"Thank you, Miss Schuyler." He said unsteadily.

"Do we know the family?" General Schuyler wondered, glancing in Washington's direction.

Washington shook his head.

"Miss Lewis is from a modest family in Pennsylvania." He replied, glancing at Alexander. "But she is a very bright girl who is well-suited to learn the office of a dignified wife."

General Schuyler nodded. Alexander returned his eyes to his place setting.

Servers entered the room to serve the first course. It was a soup of some sort. It smelled warm and better than anything that Alexander had eaten since joining the militia. Alexander eagerly invested his attention in the food.

"When are you to be wed?" Eliza asked, breaking the silence that had settled over the table.

Alexander looked up, his mouth full of soup. Eliza was looking at him, her mouth set in a small frown. Her eyes were locked on his. She did not seem to notice Angelica and Peggy casting her disapproving looks.

"We have not set a date yet, Miss Schuyler." Alexander replied unwillingly.

He did not like talking about his engagement to Maria in front of Eliza. He was afraid of hurting her; Angelica's subtle glaring did nothing to quell this fear.

"I sympathize with the trouble of planning a wedding during these times." Mrs. Schuyler chimed in, casting Alexander a polite smile. "We are in the process of planning a wedding for our eldest daughter, Angelica."

"You are engaged, Miss Schuyler?" Alexander looked to Angelica in surprise.

He had not heard that she was engaged. She had not told him that she was engaged when they had spoken just moments ago. He could not even imagine who she might be engaged to.

"Yes, Colonel Hamilton." Angelica looked back at him, unsmiling. "I am to marry John Church. He is a gentleman of some esteem in London."

"London?" Alexander could not hide his surprise. He felt both General Schuyler and Washington's eyes on him as he engaged in a conversation as though no one else was there. It was a tremendous breach of propriety. "You are going to be wed to a British man?"

"He is sympathetic to our cause." General Schuyler interjected before Angelica could reply. He cast Alexander a warning look. "And his breeding is impeccable. We have high hopes for the union."

"Congratulations." Alexander realized his error and nodded to General Schuyler deferentially. "Your daughter is a credit to you. I am sure you are pleased that she has made such a successful match."

General Schuyler nodded, returning his attention to the soup. Alexander did the same.

* * *

Dinner was a dreadfully long affair, lasting two and a half hours. After dinner, the ladies retired while the gentlemen played cards. Alexander allowed General Washington and General Schuyler to beat him with ease. He did not feel much like focusing on cards.

After a few hours of cards, Alexander retired to his bedroom for the evening. A silence fell over the house.

Alexander shed his dinner clothes and crawled into bed. He squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that sleep would find him.

It did not.

Alexander tossed and turned for nearly two hours before he flung the covers back from his body with an irritated sigh. He knew that he would not be able to sleep; not with all of the thoughts racing around his head. He could not shake thoughts of Eliza and what she must think of him. He wondered about Angelica's engagement to a British man. He considered how circumstances might have changed if he and Hercules had not been able to create the company that had impressed Washington. He might have remained in New York, where he could have worked at earning Eliza's forgiveness. He might have talked Angelica out of her engagement.

He rolled out of bed and snatched up his clothes. He threw them on and emerged from his room. The house was dark and quiet, but the moonlight shone through the windows. It allowed Alexander to see where he was going as he descended the stairs and headed for the porch. He hoped that the fresh air would assist him in clearing the unwanted thoughts from his head.

As he stepped out onto the porch, he glanced up at the sky. The stars shone just as brightly in New York as they did at camp. It was one of the few consistencies that Alexander could rely upon.

He sat down in one of the wooden chairs on the porch. He placed his head between his hands and let out a loud groan. There was no risk of disturbing anyone, now that he was outside.

So he thought.

"Colonel Hamilton?" Eliza's soft voice interrupted the silence of the night.

"Miss Schuyler?" Alexander raised his head and looked around in surprise.

"You are sitting outside of my window." Eliza explained. "I like to keep it open when the weather is nice."

Alexander glanced behind him. Sure enough, there was an open window. He could not see Eliza - it was far too dark to see much of anything - but he took some comfort in knowing that she was there. Better still, she was there and she was speaking to him.

"I am sorry for disturbing you." He said. He started to rise to his feet. "I can return to my room if you are uncomfortable with -"

"You aren't disturbing me." Eliza responded before Alexander could finish his sentence. "Are you having trouble sleeping, Colonel Hamilton?"

She returned to the formal version of his name. She was making it clear that there was still a tremendous amount of distance between them. Alexander slumped back into the chair.

"Ah, yes." He replied, deciding against drawing attention to the distance. "Returning to New York has been, ah, more difficult than I anticipated it being."

There was silence for a moment. Alexander wondered if he had overstepped some sort of invisible boundary.

"I am sorry if I offended you by asking you so much about your fiancé." Eliza finally said. "I…I find it difficult to adhere to the rules under the circumstances. I did not mean to embarrass you."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have written to you before I announced my engagement. I did not mean for you to be upset by the news. I had assumed -" Alexander tried to apologize for his own transgressions.

"You do not need to apologize." Eliza sighed. "I understand that we must both move on with our lives. Perhaps we should view Angelica as an example."

"I believe I would rather die than marry a British man." Alexander tried to joke.

"He is not so bad. I have corresponded with him since their engagement. I believe that his temperament will suit her." Eliza considered.

"Then I suppose I am happy for her." Alexander admitted.

"What is your fiancé like?" Eliza inquired. "Or would you prefer I not ask?"

"Oh." Alexander had not expected Eliza to want to talk about Maria any further. "No, er, you can ask. I just didn't think that you would _want_ to…I mean…"

"Colonel Hamilton." Eliza interrupted him. He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Right." Alexander mumbled. He cleared his voice and adjusted his posture. "Uh, her name is Maria Lewis. She is not as esteemed as you and your family, of course, but…er, you know now that I could never strive for a match with a woman as esteemed as…well."

An awkward silence asserted itself between them. Alexander had not meant to remind Eliza of their failed courtship. He had not meant to remind _himself_ of their failed courtship. He silently lamented over how complicated it had become to talk to Eliza. It had been so simple in the past.

"I am sure that any woman would be proud to be your wife." Eliza sidestepped the issue neatly. "Does she come from a large family?"

"I could not say." Alexander replied. His brows furrowed as he realized that he had never asked Maria about any siblings she might have had.

"Is she very beautiful?" Eliza asked.

"Yes." Alexander answered, somewhat embarrassed. Eliza's questions were making him appear as though he considered Maria's only qualifying trait to be her beauty. It was rather unfair. "Although I would not say that was the only reason I had to propose to her."

"Of course not." Eliza replied in a tone of such sincerity that Alexander had no choice but to believe her. "I did not mean to accuse you so. I am afraid that I am simply curious about Miss Lewis. No one in New York could tell me anything about her."

"Did you ask after her?" Alexander wondered.

His mouth curved into a slight smile at the thought of Eliza asking after his own fiancé. He knew that he could not hope that jealousy fueled her curiosity, but he could content himself with the knowledge that she still cared about him in some capacity.

"I wanted to make sure that she was deserving of you." Eliza replied. Alexander could hear the smile in her voice.

"You flatter me, Miss Schuyler." He permitted himself the pleasure of teasing her as though they were still good friends.

"You must be very good at your job, if General Washington requested your company on this visit. My father says that General Washington is not quick to trust his subordinates, especially not officers." Eliza changed the subject.

"I could ask for no better commanding officer than General Washington." Alexander replied.

It was the same sort of thing that he always said when anyone mentioned Washington in his presence. Washington enjoyed being praised. If he heard that Alexander was singing his praises in a respectful manner, it could only benefit Alexander.

"Do you enjoy your work?" Eliza pressed.

"There is something rewarding in being of use to such a great man." Alexander said, tilting his head to the side as he considered Eliza's question. "But I must admit, I do miss being in command of a group of men. There is little glory in being chained to a desk."

"There is safety in being chained to a desk." Eliza remarked.

"If I were concerned with my safety, I would not have enlisted in the war." Alexander chuckled.

"I am sure that your fiancé is concerned with your safety." Eliza said. "She is probably glad to see you chained up to a desk."

Alexander shrugged, though Eliza would not see the gesture.

"There is not much for me to accomplish as an aide. No one will read a history book about the man who wrote letters and entertained visiting dignitaries." He said, finally allowing his true feelings to pour out. He had not even told Maria how disappointed he was with his job. He feared that if he actually articulated his feelings, he would lose the respect of whoever heard him.

"Is it important to be in a history book?" Eliza inquired. "Those who wind up in those pages rarely have happy lives."

"I think that I would rather be successful than happy." Alexander admitted.

He would have never admitted this to Eliza, had she still been a possibility for him. Now that she no longer loved him, however, he did not fear her judgment. She was perhaps the only person in the world who he could truly be honest with.

"Oh, Alexander." Eliza sighed. "That is so sad. Why is success so important to you? Is happiness not the ultimate accomplishment?"

Alexander shook his head. He wrung his hands in his lap.

"I…er, I have seen the life that a lack of success provides. I do not believe happiness can be achieved without success. Even if it can…happiness does not keep you fed." He said.

They were silent for a moment.

"The sun is rising." Eliza said after a pause.

Alexander looked up. To his surprise, Eliza was right. The sun was just beginning to peek out from the horizon. The house would spring into action soon.

"I should return to my room." Alexander remarked with some regret.

He had been enjoying his conversation with Eliza. He had missed talking with her.

"Yes." Eliza agreed.

"Well," Alexander hoisted himself up from his chair. "Thank you for conversing with me, Miss Schuyler. I apologize if I prevented you from getting the rest that you need."

"No apology is needed, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza replied. Alexander could hear the smile in her voice.

"Good morning, Miss Schuyler." Alexander said before walking towards the mansion's door again.

"Good morning, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza's voice wafted after him.

* * *

Alexander only got an hour of sleep before Washington instructed a servant to wake him up. Though they were guests in General Schuyler's home, there was work to be done. Alexander spent the bulk of the morning crafting letters to Congress. He looked up every so often to see if Eliza had emerged from her room yet.

Angelica brought Alexander his lunch. It was unusual, given their respective statuses in society, but Alexander was not altogether surprised. Angelica asked about her sister's failure to emerge from her room all day. Alexander shrugged and claimed that he did not know anything about Eliza's schedule.

Eliza finally emerged from her room a few hours before dinner. She did not stop in to say hello to Alexander. He only heard of her presence in the household through the chatter of servants.

At six o'clock, a servant entered Washington's makeshift office. He bowed low before informing both Alexander and Washington that dinner would be served soon. Washington and Alexander hurried to their rooms to change into suitable clothes for dinner.

At six-thirty, Alexander found himself seated across from Eliza at the dinner table. She was casting him shy smiles between courses, but did not engage him in a conversation. Alexander tried to act natural as he discussed artillery allocation with Washington and General Schuyler.

After dinner, Washington and General Schuyler agreed to play another game of cards. Mrs. Schuyler and her three daughters rose to their feet, presumably to retire for the evening.

"Colonel Hamilton," Eliza did not follow her mother and her sisters as they strode towards the doorway. "Would you care to see the garden?"

"Eliza!" Mrs. Schuyler chided in a hushed tone. "It would be highly inappropriate for -"

"Oh, Mother." Angelica chimed in, strategically using a deceptively placating tone. "Eliza and I first met Colonel Hamilton when he was a mere student at King's College. You cannot fault her for wishing to speak with an old friend."

"Angelica, we will not have this discussion in front of company. It is impolite." Mrs. Schuyler glanced pointedly at Washington.

"You must forgive my daughters for their forwardness." General Schuyler remarked, glancing at Washington and Alexander with an apologetic smile. "They have been much indulged by their mother. They often forget themselves."

"Do not trouble yourself on my behalf. I am quite accustomed to the precocious nature of young ladies." Washington assured General Schuyler with a slight smile.

"I would be glad to take a walk about the garden with Miss Schuyler, if it would not be offensive to you or Mrs. Schuyler." Alexander offered, looking at General Schuyler.

"I will chaperone their conversation, if you are concerned that Colonel Hamilton's fiancé will take offense to his conversation with an old friend." Angelica remarked, not looking at her mother's reddening face.

"Very well. Have Colonel back at a reasonable hour, ladies. He is not here for the purpose of keeping you entertained." General Schuyler said good-naturedly.

Angelica grinned as she crossed the room. She shepherded Alexander and Eliza out of the room before either of her parents could change their minds. Eliza's face was completely red. Alexander wondered at the boldness of both of the ladies for performing the way that they had in front of Washington.

"Angelica, are you really going to chaperone us?" Eliza asked as they reached the garden. Her tone suggested that she might not have been as pleased with Angelica's offer as she might have otherwise been.

"If I returned to the house, Father would assume the worst. Do you really want to tarnish poor Colonel Hamilton's reputation when he is doing so well with General Washington?" Angelica retorted with a wicked smile. "I will sit right here on this bench. I will not hear a word that you are saying; I will only see that Colonel Hamilton's hands - among other things - remain exactly where they ought to."

Eliza blushed at the implication behind Angelica's words. Alexander shook his head and smiled.

"Go on. Do not let me interrupt your reunion." Angelica urged them.

Eliza huffed out a sigh and took Alexander by the arm. Alexander allowed himself to be led away. He relished the feeling of Eliza's hand on his arm once more.

"Thank you for coming out here with me…I am sorry that I caused so much trouble by inviting you. I did not think that Mother or Father would be so disturbed by my inclination to converse with an old friend." Eliza said as they began to walk about the garden.

"It was no trouble, Miss Schuyler." Alexander assured her.

"Please," Eliza glanced down at their feet as they walked. Her cheeks were pink. "Call me Eliza. I…I took leave of my senses when I demanded to be addressed so formally."

It was the first time since their fight that Alexander had been permitted use of Eliza's first name. He smiled and nodded, hoping that his expression did not betray his true emotions. For the first time, he allowed himself to entertain the hope that Eliza had forgiven him.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak just yet.

"May I still call you Alexander?" Eliza asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes." Alexander replied without thinking. "You may always call me Alexander."

"I would like it very much if you would tell me about yourself, Alexander." Eliza said, glancing up at Alexander with something that resembled apprehension.

"What do you mean?" Alexander wondered. "I have told you a great deal about myself, have I not?"

Eliza shook her head.

"I got to know Alexander Laurens very well, but I suspect that there are some differences between him and Alexander Hamilton. I should like to know more about Hamilton, if I might." She said.

"Are you sure?" Alexander was not eager to tell Eliza about his past. He had not shared the worst of it with anyone - not even John or Hercules. "It is not…I would prefer for you to believe that I had been educated in Switzerland and given all of the best opportunities."

"I want to know the truth. I do not care how ugly it might be." Eliza insisted.

"Very well." Alexander would not lie to Eliza again. He could not risk her anger once more. He was certain that a second argument with her would finish him. His heart would break clean apart.

"I was not born in the American colonies, to begin with. I, er, I was born in the Caribbean colonies. A small island named Saint Kitts." He began.

He could feel his pulse picking up. He did not like talking about his childhood. He did not like thinking about his childhood. It caused a sort of panic within him that he did not understand. Not even battle could produce the frightful sensations that thoughts of the past could.

"What was your life like there?" Eliza asked patiently.

There was no judgment in her voice. Alexander wondered how much effort she had exerted to make it so. The Caribbean islands were typically reserved for the lowest tier of society - prisoners, slaves, and debtors hoping to make a quick penny.

"It…er…it left much to be desired." Alexander replied, trying to keep his voice from wobbling.

"Did you live with your mother and father?" Eliza moved on without pressing Alexander for a better answer. Had Alexander not been struggling to maintain his composure, he might have appreciated it more.

"For a while." Alexander said, looking around at the flowers. He could not meet Eliza's eyes as he spoke of his past life. "My, ah, my father left when I was very young, and my mother died when I was thirteen."

"Oh." Eliza's voice was no longer steady.

Silence hung between them like a dead man's body.

Despite the warmth of the night, Alexander found that he was shivering. He stood a little straighter so that Eliza would not notice.

"How did you…I mean…well…it must have been exceedingly difficult to end up in New York." Eliza said.

Alexander tried to smile. He did not want to make Eliza feel as though she could not ask him these questions.

"It was." He said. "And…it wasn't. Though I had always dreamt of coming to American colonies, I had been resigned to my fate, more or less. My family had not be an… _ahem_ …affluent one. After my mother passed, my brother and I went to live with a distant cousin."

"You have a brother?" Eliza inquired.

"Yes." Alexander stuffed his hands in his pockets so that he would not wring them together. Within the confines of his pocket, he clenched and unclenched his fists as he spoke.

"What is his name?" Eliza asked, her tone gentle.

"James." Alexander had not spoken his brother's name in years.

"James Hamilton." Eliza spoke the name with such tenderness and thoughtfulness that it nearly made Alexander weep. "Did he come to the colonies with you?"

"Ah…no." Alexander had been hoping that he would not have to tell Eliza about this particular detail. The sight of James watching his ship leave from the docks haunted him.

"Oh." Eliza paused, frowning. She shook away the frown and looked up at Alexander again. "But I am interrupting your story. You were trying to tell me how you ended up in America."

Alexander nodded, summoning all of his remaining strength to continue.

"Where did I…?" He could not remember where he had left off.

"You and James went to live with your cousin." Eliza supplied.

"Yes." Alexander nodded. "We did not remain there for very long. My cousin, he, ah, he killed himself shortly after James and I were placed in his charge. He left all of his property to his mistress. She had no interest in supporting James and I. She had children of her own to worry about."

"That's horrible! But did you not have an inheritance of your own from when your mother died? Surely at fourteen you could manage your own property." Eliza remarked.

Alexander shook his head.

"My mother was married to a man other than my father. I never met him, but my mother was afraid of him. She said that he was the reason that my father had left - he did not want to be jailed for adultery. James and I were damning evidence. Anyway, when mother died, the son that she had with her husband inherited everything. As you might imagine, he did not feel inclined to share the wealth with his half-brothers." Alexander explained. He spoke quickly, as though the words could not injure them if they did not linger on his tongue.

"Oh, Alexander." Eliza sighed, her tone full of sympathy.

Alexander winced at her pity. It hurt just as badly as her scorn might have - perhaps even more.

"There was no sense in dwelling upon misfortunes." Alexander hoped to move on from the part of his tale that made Eliza pity him. He could not stand the way that she was looking at him - as though he was a bird with an injured wing, one that needed saving. "Shortly after my cousin's suicide, there was a terrible hurricane. I swear to you that you have never experienced anything like it."

"You had better not tell me that poor James died." Eliza looked at Alexander with big, sad eyes. Those eyes had been sparkling just a few hours before. Alexander did not like that he had made them sad.

"James is still alive to this day." Alexander assured her.

"Good." Eliza cast him a nervous smile. "I could not stand it if you lost another person."

Alexander almost smiled. He wanted to. He liked that Eliza cared enough about him to want to influence his past.

"I did not lose anyone of consequence in the hurricane." He said. "It is only noteworthy in this story because of a letter I wrote to my father, describing the wreckage."

"A letter?" Eliza echoed in surprise.

Alexander nodded. This time, he did smile a little. This was a less painful section of his story.

"I wrote my father a letter recounting all that I had borne witness to." He explained with a sheepish shrug. "It fell into the hands of my local clergyman. It seems that he was impressed with my writing, so much so that he had our local newspaper print a copy for all to read. It moved people - at least, it moved Mr. Thomas Stevens, who had the means to pay for me to join him and his family in the American colonies."

"So that is how you came to be here." Eliza remarked.

"More or less, yes." Alexander was happy to be finished discussing his childhood. His shirt was nearly soaked through with sweat.

"Did Mr. Stevens provide you with the resources to attend King's College?" Eliza asked.

"No," Alexander replied with a slight frown. "He provided me with the funds to come to America, as well as a home for some time. Anything else that I might want, I was to achieve for myself."

"I see." Eliza nodded. She met Alexander's eyes. A small smile crossed her face. "It is too bad that we were unable to meet under honest circumstances. I would have liked to meet Alexander Hamilton. I think that I like him better than Alexander Laurens."

Alexander turned to look at Eliza in surprise. Eliza smiled back at him.

"Goodnight, Alexander." She curtseyed towards him before turning on her heel and striding towards the house.

Alexander watched her go, too puzzled to follow after her.

"Goodnight, Eliza." He murmured far too late.

"Well done, Colonel Hamilton." Angelica retorted as she rose from her bench to reenter the mansion.

Alexander felt a smile slide across his face.

* * *

Alexander and Washington left the Schuyler mansion the next morning.

Eliza had caught Alexander in the hallway before breakfast. She had asked him to write to her once more. Alexander had been ecstatic to agree to this request. He could not imagine returning to a world in which Eliza was not a part of his life after the weekend that he had spent at the Schuyler mansion.

During breakfast, General Schuyler monopolized the conversation. He spoke mostly of Congress' inability to gather the resources necessary to wage war. Washington, true to form, spent most of the conversation listening. He spoke once or twice. Neither of the men asked Alexander for his opinion. Alexander did not mind. He was content to eat his breakfast as he struggled to resist casting glances at Eliza.

Once breakfast was over, Alexander and Washington said their goodbyes in the mansion. The weather was dreary and Washington did not want any member of the Schuyler family falling ill.

Both Eliza and Angelica curtsied when Alexander said goodbye to them; they were unable to express their true feelings. Alexander did not mind. They would express themselves in their letters.

After the goodbyes, Alexander and Washington departed from the mansion and retrieved their horses from the stables. They quickly saddled and mounted the horses, then set out for camp.

They rode together in comfortable silence for nearly an hour when Washington suddenly turned to look at Alexander.

"You know, Colonel Hamilton," He said with a studied air of informality. "Betrothals are a rather…informal agreement. There is no law which says they cannot be broken if there is some sort of…impediment."

"Sir?" Alexander felt his face redden as he turned to look at Washington.

Washington looked back at Alexander - stony-faced, as usual - before riding ahead, leaving Alexander to puzzle over the meaning behind his words.


	12. Chapter 12

Alexander tried to avoid Maria once he and Washington returned to camp. He deliberately walked longer routes to avoid walking past the medic's tent. He glanced out the window as he worked; if he saw Maria walking towards Washington's quarters, he would make an excuse to leave the building until she was gone. He skipped dinner, claiming that he had too much work to attend to.

He began exchanging letters with Eliza. His were long letters, describing the day-to-day banalities of his job, as well as the hopes he held for the future. Hers were shorter letters, mostly reiterating her desire for the war to be over. They danced around the subject of love. Alexander did not want to risk ruining their friendship if Eliza did not feel the way that he did. He hid all of the letters that he received from Eliza underneath his cot. He did not want Maria to find them.

He did not know what he was going to do about his engagement. He could not deny that he liked Maria - it was impossible not to like Maria - but he felt a magnetism to Eliza that was made any feelings he had for Maria seem miniscule. He did not like to think of himself as the kind of man who would break an engagement once he got a better offer, but he had never considered that he might get a better offer.

"I say that honesty is the way to go," John advised him one afternoon. He had seen Alexander agonizing over one of Eliza's letters and did not have to guess at the cause of Alexander's agony. "Avoiding Miss Lewis is childish and will only injure her further. If you have your heart set upon Miss Schuyler, you must be honest with both Miss Lewis and yourself."

Alexander hung his head. He then shook it.

"I do not even know if Miss Schuyler would have me." He replied miserably.

"She is writing you letters nearly every night." John reminded him. "You said that she spoke to you a great deal while you were staying at her father's home. It sounds to me like she has forgiven you for your transgressions and would happily have you."

"I cannot assume that." Alexander argued. "And if I do not know beyond a doubt…"

"It is unfair of you to remain engaged to Miss Lewis only because you do not know that Miss Schuyler will have you." John remarked, casting Alexander a disapproving look. "Hercules would lecture you for hours if he knew."

"Mm." Alexander hummed.

He knew that John was right. He missed Hercules for that reason. Hercules would know exactly what to do.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Washington entered the room before Alexander could decide what it was that he was going to do. All of the aides rose to their feet in a respectful gesture towards Washington. "I apologize for interrupting what appears to be very diligent work. It is my pleasure to tell you that General Schuyler, General Knox, and General Greene will come to our camp for a war council meeting in two weeks. Please prepare documents providing each general with the appropriate information for the meeting."

Alexander perked up at the mention of General Schuyler. If General Schuyler were to visit camp, it would afford Alexander the opportunity to discuss the possibility of asking Eliza for her hand.

"You may return to your work." Washington said.

There was a shuffling noise as the aides sat down and picked up the work that they had been focused on prior to Washington's entrance.

"Colonel Hamilton." Washington strode across the room to Alexander's desk.

Though Alexander had worked for Washington for weeks, now, he was still intimidated by the sight of Washington. He was unusually tall and always carried himself in a manner befitting his status. To see him standing before Alexander's desk was enough to make Alexander nervous.

"Yes, sir?" Alexander forced himself to meet Washington's eyes.

"A letter arrived with General Schuyler's confirmation of our appointment. It is addressed to you." Washington set an envelope down on Alexander's desk.

Alexander's name was scrawled across the envelope in Eliza's handwriting. Alexander felt his face redden with embarrassment.

"Thank you, sir." He mumbled.

Washington nodded before returning to his own office.

Alexander waited until the door clicked shut behind Washington before tearing open the envelope. He smiled at the sight of Eliza's messy handwriting.

"What is she saying today?" John asked from his desk. He did not look up from his own work.

"She is coming to camp with her father in two weeks." Alexander replied, his brows furrowing. "She will be joining him in place of her mother, who does not feel that she is able to make the journey."

"Hm." John hummed. "I suppose that means that you had better make a decision soon, does it not?"

"Yes." Alexander said with a frown. "I suppose that it does."

* * *

Alexander attempted to break off his engagement with Maria countless times prior to Eliza's arrival at camp. Each time, he could not bring himself to say the words. He had no desire to hurt Maria. He would have rather she left him on her own.

By the time that General Schuyler and Eliza rode into camp, Alexander was still engaged to Maria.

He watched as Eliza rode behind her father on a pretty chestnut horse. She was looking around as the soldiers whispered to another. When she spotted Alexander, she smiled. Alexander smiled back at her, altogether forgetting about Maria until she placed her hand on his arm. He turned to look at her in surprise. She was looking back at him disapprovingly. Alexander felt a pang of guilt as he turned to look at Eliza again. Her smile had evaporated. She was now looking ahead, her expression neutral.

"I must join General Washington in greeting his guests." Alexander told Maria in a low voice.

"What? No." Maria protested. "I do not like the idea of you speaking with Miss Schuyler - not now that I have seen the way that she looks at you."

Alexander stared back at Maria, struggling to keep his face expressionless. He liked the idea that Eliza looked at him in a special sort of way, but he could not allow Maria to know this.

"It is my job to assist the general in such matters. I doubt that he will care for any concerns over the way that Miss Schuyler looks at me." Alexander retorted with a smile. "You need not worry. I will keep myself safe from Miss Schuyler."

Maria pouted as Alexander made his way through the small crowd to place himself behind Washington. John and Lafayette were already standing behind him, their hands behind their back and respectfully bland expressions on their faces.

"Did you tell Miss Lewis that you would not marry her yet?" John asked in a low voice.

General Schuyler dismounted his horse, then helped Eliza down. Once they were both safely on the ground, they began to approach Washington. General Schuyler smiled at Washington, evidently glad to see his old friend. Eliza looked straight at Alexander. She, too, was smiling.

"No." Alexander murmured back to John. He said nothing to justify his own cowardice.

"Then I suppose that you had better be prepared to tell Miss Schuyler that you are still engaged." John said before forcing a smile and moving forward to greet General Schuyler.

Lafayette turned to look at Alexander inquisitively.

"Are you and Miss Schuyler…?" He inquired uncertainly.

"Colonel Hamilton," Eliza approached Alexander before he could answer Lafayette.

"Miss Schuyler." Alexander forced his most polite smile. He knew that both Washington and General Schuyler would be watching him. "I hope that your journey was not too tiring."

"We were blessed with unusually good weather." Eliza replied. Her cheeks were turning pink as she spoke.

"I am glad to hear it." Alexander felt a blush creep up on his own face.

"Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza smiled.

Alexander felt his composure dissolve at the sight of Eliza's smile. He forgot about the existence of Washington, General Schuyler, or Maria.

"Colonel Hamilton." General Schuyler made Alexander aware of his presence once more as he brushed past Eliza to extend his hand towards Alexander. Alexander shook it heartily. "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Thank you, sir." Alexander directed all of his attention to General Schuyler. He nodded deferentially.

General Schuyler glanced over at Eliza. She was speaking with Lafayette, who appeared to be just as spellbound by her charms as Alexander was.

"My daughter and I should like some rest before dinner." General Schuyler said. Though his words were intended for Alexander, they were loud enough for Lafayette to hear.

Lafayette quickly dropped his eyes to the ground and bowed to Eliza.

"Colonel Hamilton - would you show General Schuyler and Miss Schuyler to their quarters?" Washington asked.

It was a task not quite befitting Alexander's rank, but for once, Alexander did not mind the slight.

"Yes, sir." He replied agreeably.

He began to walk towards the set of houses that Washington had leased for the visiting generals. General Knox and his wife, Lucy, were already settled into the house beside the one allocated to the Schuylers.

"General Washington has leased the blue house for your comfort during your stay." He told General Schuyler as they neared the house. "I hope that it will suit your needs."

"I am certain that it will be perfectly suitable. Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." General Schuyler said.

Alexander nodded as General Schuyler and Eliza proceeded into the house. Eliza glanced over her shoulder just before the door swung shut behind her. They exchanged small smiles that would tide Alexander over until he saw Eliza again at dinner.

Alexander smiled to himself as he walked back in the direction of Washington's quarters.

* * *

Dinner was a grander affair than usual, now that there were visiting generals to impress. Washington's staff worked for hours to create a meal worthy of the esteemed guests it would be served to.

"Mm. I don't see how you could have gotten any work done this afternoon while smelling that roast." Maria commented as she stepped inside the quarters to accompany Alexander to dinner.

Washington had invited Maria to join the officers for dinner since she and Alexander had become engaged. It would not have been proper for Alexander to enjoy a proper dinner while Maria was stuck outside eating with the enlisted soldiers.

"It was not without its difficulties." Alexander admitted with a small smile.

"Hello?" General Schuyler stepped through the door shortly after Maria. He looked around the crammed room that the aides used as an office. "General Washington told me that dinner would be served here."

Eliza stepped into the room after General Schuyler. She looked around for a few seconds before noticing Alexander. She smiled at the sight of him. Her smile faded somewhat when she noticed Maria.

"Hello General Schuyler; Miss Schuyler." Alexander greeted them as politely as he could. "General Washington is meeting with General Knox before dinner. You are welcome to join them if you would like, General Schuyler."

General Schuyler appeared tempted by the prospect of sitting in on Washington's meeting with Knox. Alexander was not surprised by this. All of the generals were in constant competition with one another for resources, rations, and perhaps most importantly, Washington's ear.

"You should go, father. I am sure that Colonel Hamilton will entertain me while you meet with the generals." Eliza encouraged her father.

General Schuyler cast Alexander a dubious frown. Alexander stared back at him, uncertain of how to assuage any concerns he might have had.

"Very well." General Schuyler agreed at length.

He cast Alexander one last severe look before stalking off to join Washington and Knox in Washington's office.

Eliza turned to smile at Alexander. Maria cleared her throat loudly from beside him.

"Oh. Er…Miss Schuyler, allow me to introduce you to my fiancé, Miss Lewis." Alexander hastened to introduce the women.

His face was red with shame. Had he been honest with Maria when he first realized that he did not want to marry her, he would not have had to introduce her and Eliza. He would not have had to witness the uncomfortable way that both ladies curtsied to one another.

"Colonel Hamilton has told me much about you, Miss Lewis." Eliza told Maria.

"Is that so?" Maria glanced at Alexander. She did not look pleased. "I cannot imagine when he had the chance to speak with you about our engagement."

"You remember my visit to the Schuyler residence." Alexander reminded her. He did not like the jealous manner in which Maria was conducting herself. It was supremely embarrassing, especially in front of a well-bred lady like Eliza. "I accompanied General Washington to discuss the war with General Schuyler."

"Ah. I was not aware that Miss Schuyler was present during your visit." Maria did not seem to care about Alexander's disapproval.

"Colonel Hamilton spoke very highly of you." Eliza interjected, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.

Alexander wished that he could apologize for Maria's behavior. He knew, however, that if he dared to do such a thing, Maria's behavior would only grow more embarrassing for him.

"I certainly hope that he did." Maria remarked. "I have heard much about you, as well."

"Oh." Eliza did not seem to know what else to say.

"Miss Schuyler, are your sisters well?" Alexander decided to change the subject. He did not wish to dwell on the awkwardness of the conversation.

"Yes." Eliza seemed relieved to talk about something else. "Both Angelica and Peggy instructed me to tell you hello on their behalf when I saw you. Angelica is now married, you know."

"Already?" Alexander jerked his head back in surprise. "But she was only just engaged."

"The war expedited matters." Eliza replied with a small smile. "Her fiancé wanted to marry her quickly, so that the war could not tear them apart."

Maria looked pointedly at Alexander. She had been asking about a wedding date since Alexander had returned from his visit to the Schuyler mansion. Alexander had been using every excuse that he could come up with to defer.

"What am I to call her now that she is no longer Miss Schuyler?" Alexander quickly sidestepped the issue.

"She is now Mrs. Church." Eliza replied, smiling. "It is something that we are all having great difficulty growing accustomed to. When I walk to the store with her, I feel as though I am walking with a stranger. I turn my head every which way whenever someone says 'hello, Mrs. Church'."

Alexander laughed. Maria did not.

"Colonel Hamilton." Washington emerged from his office behind them.

Alexander turned around. He saw General Schuyler and Knox appear behind Washington.

"Yes, sir?" Alexander's smile vanished as he readied himself for whatever Washington would ask of him.

"We are going to dinner. Will you escort Miss Lewis into the dining room?"

"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed.

He watched as Eliza walked over to General Schuyler. He would escort her to the dining room, as she was unaccompanied by a suitor. Alexander would have preferred to accompany Eliza into the dining room, instead. He would have preferred her hand atop his, instead of Maria's.

"What meal do you think will be your first once the war is over?" Maria asked Alexander as they strode into the dining room. "When food is not rationed and we may eat whatever we like once more."

Alexander tried to consider this question. He knew that Maria meant only to engage him in conversation. It was a perfectly reasonable thing for her to do. It was not her fault that Alexander wished to be with Eliza instead.

"I cannot profess to know; I have hardly considered it. What will you eat?" Alexander asked.

"I think that I shall eat an entire pheasant all by myself." Maria replied, laughing. "And I shall have plenty of greens and fruits on the table, too. And for dessert, there will be plenty of hot chocolate."

Alexander could not help but smile. He did not wish to marry Maria, but he could not deny her charm.

"Who will be affording this meal for you?" He wondered.

"You will, of course." Maria replied cheerfully. "It will be one of our first true meals as husband and wife."

Alexander looked to her, startled. He had not realized that she was already making plans for the post-war future in her head. It made his cowardice feel even crueler. He resolved to tell her that he could not marry her that very night, after dinner.

Everyone took a seat at the table. Washington was seated at the head of the table. General Schuyler and Knox sat on either side of him. Eliza sat beside General Schuyler. Lucy sat beside Knox. Alexander was seated beside Lucy. Maria was across from him, sitting beside Eliza.

The conversation revolved around the war. Alexander was rarely asked for his opinion, but provided it freely when he was. Washington sat in stony silence while General Schuyler and Knox each tried to assert their opinions as the supreme one. Eliza politely spoke with Maria and Lucy about the latest fashions and mild gossip about families that Maria did not know.

After dinner, the generals opted to play cards so that they might avert their minds from matters of war for at least an hour or two. Alexander was invited to join them. He declined the invitation. He was resolved to tell Maria about his change of heart before he hurt her any further.

"Will you go to sleep so early?" Eliza asked Alexander as the three of them left the dining room.

Maria glanced at Alexander suspiciously.

"Er…no." Alexander replied awkwardly. "I had hoped to take a walk about camp with Miss Lewis."

"Oh." Eliza did not seem to expect this response. Maria, on the other hand, appeared thrilled. "Would it be a terrible imposition if I asked to join you? My father is likely to stay up all night playing cards, and I would rather see more of General Washington's camp than go to bed at seven o'clock."

"Perhaps you might ask Mrs. Knox to walk with you?" Maria suggested.

Eliza blushed.

"I would ask Mrs. Knox, but she has already expressed her intention to write a letter to her dear friends in Boston tonight." She responded.

"There is no harm in permitting Miss Schuyler to join us." Alexander heard himself tell Maria. "We should be glad to serve as your entertainment for the evening, Miss Schuyler."

"Oh, thank you." Eliza smiled uncomfortably.

It was an exceedingly unusual and unwelcome situation; one in which Eliza was forced to behave as the outside party while Maria acted as Alexander's lover. Alexander wished that he had never asked Maria to marry him.

"Do you not have letters to write, Miss Schuyler?" Maria asked as they began to walk about the camp. "It seems that you are a rather industrious writer, if the letters that you write to my Hamilton are any indication."

Alexander turned to look at Maria with wide eyes. He had not known that she was aware of Eliza's letters. He had taken care to hide them beneath his cot, where there was no chance of her reading them. At least, he had believed there was no chance of her reading them.

"I enjoy corresponding with Colonel Hamilton now that the war has brought him away from New York." Eliza conceded with a startling amount of confidence. "For I am not blessed with as much company as you seem to enjoy here at camp. New York is an exceedingly lonely place for a supporter of independence."

"I do hope that you will soon find someone else to socialize with in New York." Maria said with a tight smile.

"I fear Miss Lewis is being too generous when she calls you industrious in your correspondence." Alexander would have preferred to lose Maria's favor rather than losing Eliza's. He knew that he was risking it by speaking of Eliza's letters. "You do not write me nearly as much as I would prefer. I am lucky if I receive one letter from you every two weeks."

"I have been busy, I will have you know." Eliza cast Alexander a smile that was nothing short of devastating.

"Busy, how? You have just admitted to Miss Lewis that you have little company to entertain you in New York." Alexander teased her.

"I have assumed a great deal of responsibility in my household since my father has gone away. I am a chaperone when Peggy's suitor comes to pay her court, I am sometimes expected to preside over dinner as the hostess, and I often supervise the servants when they make dinner." Eliza countered.

"Peggy has a suitor?" Alexander wondered in surprise.

He forgot to address Peggy formally, as he might have done when speaking to a mere acquaintance. He did not even realize it. He just grinned at Eliza, waiting for her response.

"Yes. It seems that my family name is in high demand since father's promotion." Eliza replied with an airy laugh.

"And yet you remain unmarried yourself, Miss Schuyler." Maria chimed in, her tone rather unkind.

Alexander looked to Maria disapprovingly.

"I do so by choice." Eliza replied, tilting her chin upwards. It seemed that she had learned to expect Maria's petty swipes. "For there is no man in New York who I am inclined to marry."

She glanced at Alexander as she spoke. The right side of her mouth curved up into a smile. Alexander smiled back without a second thought.

Maria looked between Eliza and Alexander with a wounded expression. Without a word, she stalked off into the night. Alexander assumed that she was returning to her quarters. Both he and Eliza turned to watch her go.

"Oh." Eliza deflated somewhat. "Did I…did I say something that I should not have?"

Alexander shook his head.

"It is I who should have said something." He replied, hanging his head as they continued to walk. "Miss Lewis has had her suspicions about my feelings for you since I first met her, but it seems that I am not able to soothe those suspicions when she can plainly see what is before her eyes."

There was a long pause.

"What is plainly before her eyes?" Eliza echoed softly.

Alexander knew that he had spoken too freely; he had hoped that Eliza would be too distracted to notice. It seemed that he did not have such luck.

Alexander hung his head.

"Yes, I suppose…I suppose I have made it rather obvious. I had proposed to Miss Lewis when I believed that you would never have me. We had not yet made peace following our fight, nor did I have reason to think that we would ever make peace at all." He said.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, clenching and unclenching his hands as he spoke. There was something about Eliza that made him unspeakably nervous.

"Do you mean to tell me that you would not have…proposed to Miss Lewis had you…had we made peace?" Eliza asked hesitantly.

Alexander shook his head, but did not offer any additional words.

"Colonel Hamilton, it is exceedingly unusual for a lady to have to request a declaration of love." Eliza said. Her words were playful, but her expression conveyed a genuine fear of rejection.

Alexander looked at her in surprise. He had not expected her to be so candid, nor did he expect such a profession to be welcome. He had assumed that he and Eliza were destined to be friends, but nothing more.

"Miss Schuyler -" He started.

"Eliza." She corrected him with a smile.

"Eliza," Alexander conceded. Despite his nerves, he, too, smiled. "You know how I felt about you from the day that I saw you. My feelings have not changed. I still believe that you are the most kind, the most charming, the most beautiful woman that I have ever met. Had I believed that there was any hope that you might let me…that you might have me, I would never have asked Miss Lewis to be my wife; for it is you whom I wish to marry."

Eliza took Alexander's hand in hers. Her hand was soft, compared to Alexander's own calloused skin.

"Well then," Eliza said, her voice soft. She continued to smile despite this. Her eyes were dancing. "I suppose that we had better do something about it."

Alexander looked down at their joint hands before looking up to meet Eliza's eyes. He could scarcely believe that she was truly standing before him, returning his feelings. It seemed too good to be true.

"I will speak to Miss Lewis tomorrow. Will you allow me your hand once I do?" Alexander asked.

"You will have to talk to my father." Eliza replied, brushing Alexander's hand with her thumb. "He will not be won over easily."

"I will win him over for you." Alexander assured her.

"I love you." Eliza said, looking up at Alexander shyly.

Alexander smiled broadly.

"I love you, too." He said.

God help him, he did.

* * *

"I hate you!"

"Maria, please. Be reasonable -" Alexander protested as Maria began to throw rolled up bandages at his head.

"You told me that you loved me!" Maria shouted, continuing to throw the bandages at him. "Was that conditional on Miss Schuyler's own feelings about you?"

"I meant it when I told you." Alexander argued, though he was not entirely sure that it was true. "I cannot explain why those feelings no longer remain; I can only tell you that they do not."

"I suppose they might have remained, had my family the money that Miss Schuyler's family has?" Maria spat out.

"It has nothing to do with money." Alexander responded.

"Oh, it is just a coincidence, is it?" Maria wondered sarcastically.

"You are not conducting yourself in a becoming manner." Alexander accused her, growing tired of tolerating her insults.

"And you are?" Maria would not be so easily humbled. "You promised me that we would spend our lives together. I depended upon your promise. I rejected several men who would have made me a good match. I could have already been married, perhaps expecting my first son. You have taken that away from me."

"You can still make a good match and have as many sons as you would like. You are young. We both are." Alexander reminded her.

"Do you really think that good men are desirous of a woman who has suffered a broken engagement? You have made me defective. You have ruined any chance that I have of making a good match." Maria folded her arms across her chest, her face red with anger.

"I have encountered several fine ladies in my life who have survived a broken engagement. I expect you shall do the same." Alexander resented Maria's attempts at making him feel guilty. "Now, I shall take my leave of you. I have no desire to stand trial while you hurl insults at me."

"You are a coward." Maria called out as Alexander turned to walk away. "You are a coward for allowing me to love you for as long as I did."

Alexander stopped for only a moment before continuing his walk back to Washington's quarters.

He knew that Maria was right, but he would never allow her the satisfaction.

* * *

"Miss Lewis does not join you tonight, Colonel Hamilton?" Washington inquired as they sat down for dinner that evening.

Alexander felt his face redden.

Eliza looked at him from across the table. She nodded slightly, careful to keep her expression neutral so that no one would see the true meaning of her gesture.

"No, sir." Alexander answered slowly. "I am afraid that Miss Lewis and I are no longer engaged."

There was a pause.

"I see." Washington said at length. "I hope that you are not suffering too badly from such a blow."

Alexander looked at Washington, frowning. He knew that Washington had guessed at his reasoning for ending the engagement. It seemed that Washington had expected him to end the engagement all along. It was cruel of him to behave as though it was a matter which should have caused Alexander great distress.

"No, sir." Alexander replied, averting his eyes. "I fear that it was merely a case of incompatible personalities."

"Poor dear." Lucy Knox remarked with a frown. "I hope that you were careful with her feelings, Colonel Hamilton. I have seen how the ladies stare after you; I fear that you have all the makings of a heartbreaker."

"Your accusation wounds me, Mrs. Knox." Alexander said, matching her frown. "For I do not intend to injure any lady for any purpose."

"Let the young man be a young man." Knox told his wife with a grin. "It was not so long ago that I would have cheered on such raffish behavior, myself."

Alexander chafed at the word _raffish_. He could not show his dislike of the phrase, however, for fear of offending Knox. He could not anger one general and then ask another general for permission to marry his daughter.

"Perhaps we should discuss something else, before we all find ourselves longing for the youth currently bestowed upon Colonel Hamilton." Washington declared, casting Alexander a sympathetic gaze.

Alexander smiled back at him gratefully as the conversation shifted to matters of war.

Dinner lasted for another hour or so. Alexander said very little. He exchanged glances with Eliza when no one was looking. He waited for the opportunity to speak with General Schuyler privately, so that he might ask for Eliza's hand in marriage.

Once dinner ended, Knox suggested a game of cards between the gentlemen. The ladies rose to retire to their rooms while the men played cards. Alexander watched as Eliza rose to her feet. She kept her eyes downcast until she reached the doorway. She flashed Alexander a quick smile before disappearing from the room.

"Colonel Hamilton," General Schuyler spoke before Alexander could gather the courage to ask him for an audience. "I would like a word with you."

Alexander glanced at Washington for permission. Washington nodded slightly.

"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed, rising from his seat. General Schuyler did the same.

General Schuyler left the dining room first, as was befitting of his station. Alexander followed after him, his heart hammering against his chest. He did not know the intent behind General Schuyler's request for an audience, but he feared the worst.

General Schuyler led Alexander into the office in which the aides worked. He sat on the corner of John's desk and folded his arms across his chest as he appraised Alexander.

"What is your intention in ending your engagement with Miss Lewis, Colonel Hamilton?" General Schuyler asked in a frank tone.

Alexander was startled out of his senses.

"Sir?" He asked helplessly.

"You see, Colonel Hamilton," General Schuyler did not seem bothered by Alexander's confusion. "I am under the impression that my daughter, Elizabeth, is quite taken with you."

Alexander swallowed hard. He said nothing to deny General Schuyler's suspicion.

"I believe that you terminated your engagement to Miss Lewis in the hopes of marrying Elizabeth. Am I correct in my thinking, or have I put too much faith in the abilities of my daughters to attract whichever suitor catches their eye?" General Schuyler inquired.

Alexander looked down at his shoes. He knew that he could not lie to General Schuyler - he required General Schuyler's consent to marry Eliza. Admitting the truth, however, felt like the wrong thing to do. General Schuyler had phrased his question like an accusation.

"I have a strong inclination to marry your daughter, General Schuyler." Alexander admitted, forcing himself to meet General Schuyler's eyes. "With your permission, of course."

General Schuyler was silent for a moment, considering Alexander's words. Alexander was left to stand before him, subjecting himself to judgment.

"Why should I allow you to marry my daughter, Colonel Hamilton?" General Schuyler asked at last. "You do not come from a good family, nor do you possess wealth. You are but a colonel with no promise of success after the war."

Alexander flinched at General Schuyler's appraisal. He knew that his words were true. They had prevented him from proposing to Eliza in the past.

"I am not a man of title, status, or wealth." He professed, his voice shaky. "But I believe that you are wrong when you state that I show no promise of success after the war. I show nothing but promise of success. I have come from nothing, and now here I am - serving as General Washington's right hand. I have befriended Colonel Laurens, the son of Mr. Henry Laurens. I write letters to members of Congress daily. I have aligned myself with many of the most powerful men in the country. I achieved all of this within two years. If I am permitted to marry Miss Schuyler, I will have an entire lifetime to deserve her."

General Schuyler raised his eyebrows.

"Do you wish to marry my daughter for my family's money?" He asked.

"No." Alexander answered automatically.

"If I were to tell you that I have no intention of giving you a generous dowry, or supporting you after your wedding…" General Schuyler supposed.

"I desire to marry your daughter, with or without your money." Alexander said loftily.

General Schuyler nodded to himself. Alexander wondered if that was a good sign.

"If you break off an engagement to my daughter because you believe that you have found a more advantageous match, I will…" General Schuyler began to threaten.

"I will not." Alexander interrupted him once more. He shook his head in an adamant gesture. "There is no one I would prefer over your daughter."

"Hm." General Schuyler did not seem convinced. "Very well. I will consent to the match - not because I believe that you are worthy of my daughter, but because you are what she wants. I hope that you prove me wrong, Colonel Hamilton."

"Me too, sir." Alexander agreed as General Schuyler rose from the desk.

General Schuyler glanced over his shoulder before proceeding to the dining room, where the rest of the men were still playing cards. Alexander heard him chuckle as he walked away.

* * *

The gentlemen were not through playing cards for another four hours. Alexander remained in the aides office during that time. He had no desire to walk about camp, for fear of running into Maria. He knew that Eliza was in bed at this hour, which made a visit to her father's quarters highly improper. He did not wish to join the card game, for fear that General Schuyler might change his mind about consenting to his engagement to Eliza. He could not go to bed until the men were through playing cards, as the room which had been designated to the aides was just beside the dining room.

Once they were through playing cards, Knox, Greene, and General Schuyler left Washington's quarters. Knox was in the middle of telling the other two generals a joke. Judging from the laughter that bounced around the night air, it was a pretty good one.

"Goodnight, Colonel Hamilton." Washington called from the dining room.

The statement was immediately followed by the sound of Washington's heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs sitting between the dining room and the aides' room.

Alexander let out a sigh and finally allowed the tension to leave his shoulders. He had accomplished everything that he had set out to accomplish that day. It had taken a toll on him.

There was a knock on the office door. Alexander turned to look at it in surprise. It was nearly midnight. He could not imagine who might be on the other side of the door. The knock was not frantic enough to suggest an attack, but it was insistent enough that it could not simply be a drunken soldier looking for extra rations.

The knock came again.

Alexander crossed the office and opened the door. His eyebrows nearly leapt off of his face in surprise.

"Eliza?" He asked, lowering his voice so that Washington would not hear. "What are you doing here?"

"I snuck out as soon as my father fell asleep. He told me that he consented to the match." Eliza whispered, her eyes alight. "Are you going to let me in, or would you rather some soldiers see me standing in the doorstep?"

Alexander stepped away from the door so that Eliza could enter the office. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Washington had not come down. He knew that Eliza's presence at that hour was highly improper - improper enough to get him fired, possibly.

"You really shouldn't be here." He told her, frowning.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Eliza wondered, also frowning.

"Yes, of course I am, but I cannot have General Washington or any of the aides seeing you. I would be fired on the spot, and I cannot imagine what your father would say." Alexander replied.

Eliza cast Alexander a hesitant look before unlacing her cloak. Again, Alexander looked over his shoulder for anyone who might be spying. When he turned back around, he was startled to see that Eliza was standing before him wearing nothing other than her shift.

"Eliza." He said, his voice hoarse.

"If we are truly to be husband and wife for the rest of our lives, I see no reason why we cannot be together tonight." She said, looking down at the floor.

"I share a room with the other aides." Alexander replied. He looked down, too. He felt as though he was doing something wrong by seeing Eliza like this. "Eliza, I think that you had better go back to your quarters."

"But I…I really want to do this, Alexander." Eliza insisted.

Alexander's brows furrowed. He could not imagine what was prompting Eliza to behave in such a manner. She had never expressed an overzealous interest in sex before.

"Why not wait until we are really married?" Alexander advised her. He took a step forward in an effort to shepherd her out of the door before they were caught. Eliza did not budge.

"When will that be?" Eliza wondered. "I return for New York tomorrow. To hear General Washington tell it, the war is far from over. I do not know when I will see you next."

"What's going on?" Alexander asked.

He had not known Eliza to be a particularly impatient person; impatient for sex, or impatient for marriage. She had seemed perfectly content when he had spoken to her last. He could not believe that it had been a ruse that she employed until he was formally engaged to marry her. He had known her for far too long to believe that.

"I…" Eliza pulled her cloak back on, still frowning down at the ground. When she did force herself to meet Alexander's eyes, he saw that her eyes were red. "I do not want to end up like Miss Lewis."

"What?" Alexander took a step back from her.

Eliza shook her head. "I know that you are…I trust you, I do. But when I think about how you ended your engagement with Miss Lewis so suddenly…Alexander, it would break my heart if you ended our engagement."

Alexander immediately understood the meaning behind her behavior. She had hoped to consummate their relationship before they left so that he could not break off their engagement. Once they were intimate, Alexander would have to marry her or risk both of their reputations. It was as concrete an act as she could achieve without actually marrying him on the spot.

"Honey, I'm not going to break our engagement." Alexander softened his voice. He took a few steps forward, closing the gap between himself and Eliza. He wrapped her up in his arms. "The only reason that I broke my engagement with Mar - with Miss Lewis - is because I was in love with you. I _am_ in love with you. There is no force of nature strong enough to tear me from you."

"Do you promise?" Eliza asked.

"I promise." Alexander assured her. "Now, why don't you go to bed before someone catches you here? That might break our engagement, if your father catches wind of it."

"All right." Eliza finally smiled. She swiped at her eyes with a small laugh. "I am sorry for…well, all of this."

"There is nothing to be sorry for." Alexander assured her as he escorted her to the door. "I love you, Eliza."

"I love you too, Alexander." Eliza said, glancing over her shoulder before stepping out into the night air.

Alexander watched as she disappeared into the darkness. He heard the crunch of the grass beneath her feet long after he lost sight of her.

He let out a sigh as he backed into the doorway again. Before he could close the door, he heard the thump of a window shutting. He looked up, startled. To his utter mortification, he saw Washington looking back down at him.

Twice, now, Washington had borne witness to a Schuyler woman leaving Alexander's company at an indecent time.

Alexander grimaced as he stepped back into the quarters and closed the door behind him.

* * *

 **I'm trying to post a new chapter every Saturday, but I was running a bit behind yesterday. Hopefully anyone still reading this mess will forgive its lateness. I am already working on the next chapter, so there shouldn't be any delays next week. In the meantime, enjoy whatever this is!**


	13. Chapter 13

"Mail." The postmaster for camp declared as he entered the aides' office.

Alexander's head jerked up from his work. He looked to the postmaster hopefully. He had only received one letter from Eliza since she had left for New York. It had been three weeks since she had left.

The postmaster dropped a few envelopes onto Alexander's desk. Alexander shuffled through them for any sign of Eliza's handwriting. He paused when he reached a letter addressed to him in Maria's handwriting.

He reached for his letter opener, his brows furrowed. He opened the envelope and unfolded the parchment within it.

 _Dear Alexander,_

 _Though I promised myself that I would no longer contact you following your termination of our engagement, I feel duty-bound to tell you that I am with child. Given the timing of our engagement, reason points to you as the father._

 _I expect that this will be most unhappy news, as I have heard of your recent engagement to Miss Elizabeth Schuyler. Before you write me a letter denying your involvement or attempting to pay me to keep quiet about my child's father, I must tell you that I wrote a similar letter to Miss Schuyler herself, as well as General Schuyler and General Washington. I will not raise a fatherless child. I expect that Miss Schuyler will agree that you are obligated to your child before you are obligated to your own whims._

 _I hope to hear from you soon._

 _All my love,_

 _Maria_

Alexander felt the blood drain from his face. He turned to look at the postmaster. He was walking towards Washington's office with a large stack of letters. Within that stack was a letter from Maria, just like the one that Alexander had received.

"Stop!" Alexander shouted, scrambling from his desk.

The postmaster cast him a strange look. He hurried towards Washington's office. Alexander raced after him. John rose from his desk, watching the scene with undisguised concern.

"No, wait!" Alexander reached out for the postmaster, but missed. The postmaster slipped into Washington's office before Alexander could catch him.

"What are you doing?" John demanded once Washington's office was closed. "Stopping General Washington's mail is something akin to treason."

Alexander's shoulders slumped as he walked back to his desk. He grabbed Maria's letter off of his desk and handed it to John. John scanned its contents before looking at Alexander. His expression was horror-stricken. It mirrored the feeling in Alexander's chest perfectly.

"Is there any truth to this?" John asked in a hushed tone.

Alexander swallowed hard and shook his head.

"No," He said. "I never… _we_ never. It is impossible for me to be the father, but I cannot explain how it is that she fell pregnant while we were engaged. I do not know any other gentleman whose company she kept."

"Do you swear that you are not the father? I promise that I will not judge you if you are. I am only trying to help." John pressed.

"John, I swear." Alexander insisted. "I believed that she was a lady; I never even _considered_ being intimate with her until we were married. I cannot speak to who the father is, but I know that it is not me."

"Colonel Hamilton." Washington growled out his name loud enough to be heard from his office.

Alexander and John looked over at the office door. The postmaster was walking out of the room. He afforded Alexander a wary expression. Alexander ignored him. Instead, he cast John a pained expression before proceeding into Washington's office.

"Yes, sir?" He inquired, as though he did not know why Washington was calling him into his office.

Washington's face was red, presumably with anger. He held up a piece of parchment. Alexander recognized Maria's handwriting.

"What is this?" Washington demanded, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. "Explain yourself immediately."

"Sir, I cannot." Alexander answered lamely. "I…I cannot explain why Miss Lewis has made the accusations that she has made, other than to injure me and prevent me from marrying Miss Schuyler."

"Do you realize the embarrassment that this causes for me? One of my officers - an officer who works under my roof - has been accused of improper conduct. I expect that General Schuyler will demand a court martial, and rightly so." Washington said.

His face seemed to get redder with each word. It was the most that Alexander had ever heard him speak.

"A court martial, sir?" Alexander echoed.

He had not thought about the possibility of being court martialed. He had assumed that Maria's accusation would impact his reputation and his engagement to Eliza. He had not considered that it might affect his job, too.

He had been working hard to receive a promotion from Washington; he wanted to receive a command before his wedding so that he might be more deserving of Eliza. Now, he would be lucky if he kept the job he had.

"I recommend finding a lawyer, Colonel Hamilton." Washington said. There was no sympathy in his voice. "I fear I must no longer speak to you on this matter, as I will be judging you, should General Schuyler wish to request a court martial."

"Yes, sir." Alexander rasped.

He bowed towards Washington, then walked out of the office. Tears blurred his vision. He did not know if the tears had appeared because he was angry, or because he was upset.

"Alexander?" John asked as Alexander returned to the office.

Alexander shook his head and kept walking right past his desk. He walked right out of Washington's quarters. He did not know where he was going, but he knew that he had to think. He had to figure out how to get himself out of this one.

* * *

It took General Schuyler one day to write a letter to Alexander. According to John, he had written one to Washington, too. Alexander could not worry about what General Schuyler had written to Washington. He was too absorbed in the letter that he had received.

 _Colonel Hamilton,_

 _It is with the deepest regret that I write you this letter._

 _I have received distressing word from Miss Maria Lewis regarding a delicate matter. It is my understanding that you have conducted yourself in a most unbecoming fashion. It therefore can come as no surprise that I must terminate your engagement to my daughter, Elizabeth._

 _I recommend that you cease all communications with my daughter, as she has been told to have nothing to do with you._

 _Respectfully,_

 _General Philip Schuyler_

Alexander read the letter so many times that it was beginning to fall apart.

After three days, Alexander was court martialed. Two soldiers stormed into the aides' office to tell him. Washington would be his judge. The case would be presented within the week. General Schuyler would be in attendance.

Alexander was once again advised to retain a lawyer. He politely refused this advice.

Instead, he wrote two letters. One letter was addressed to Eliza. The other was addressed to Maria.

He begged Eliza to believe him when he said that Maria was lying. He assured her of his continued love for her, and his determination to get through the trial with his career and reputation intact, so that he might still be able to marry her. He begged for her forgiveness if he could not manage it.

He begged Maria to take back all that she said in her letters. He acknowledged his unfortunate conduct towards her, but asked that she not use such behavior against him. He offered to pay whatever sum she might require to raise her child in a modest but respectable manner, if she would only tell the truth about the child's parentage.

Neither lady responded.

As the days passed by, Alexander came to the grim realization that he would be entering the trial without a single strategy in mind.

* * *

Alexander's trial took place the day after General Schuyler arrived at the camp. Eliza had accompanied him. Washington told Alexander to remain in his temporary quarters while the Schuylers were present. He did not wish to offend General Schuyler by forcing him to confront Alexander before the trial.

On the morning of the trial, Alexander shakily appraised himself in the mirror. He did not want to look too dashing, for fear of playing into Maria's depiction of him as a heartbreaker. He did not want to appear to slovenly, either, for fear of appearing disreputable.

He was escorted into the room where his trial was to be held by two enlisted soldiers. It made him feel like a common criminal. He passed by where General Schuyler and Eliza were sitting. He fought the urge to look at them. They did not look at him.

Maria was seated at the front of the small audience. Her pregnancy was now obvious; her stomach bulged out in front of her. She appeared a rather pathetic figure, her stomach showing and no one seated by her side. She watched Alexander with a dramatic frown that he knew was for Washington's benefit.

Washington sat at the head of the room. He was seated behind a massive desk. His hands were folded and his face was expressionless as he watched Alexander approaching. There were papers stacked on the side of the desk. Presumably, it was evidence against him.

Alexander sucked in a deep, but admittedly shaky, breath as he took his place sitting before Washington.

"We are here today to inquire into accusations levelled against Colonel Hamilton. Colonel Hamilton has been accused of improper conduct as an officer. Will his accuser please rise?" Washington boomed in an unusually loud voice.

Maria rose to her feet. The chair groaned beneath her, drawing even more attention to her.

Alexander glanced over his shoulder. He scanned the room, hoping to see John or Lafayette; any friendly face he could find. Neither were present. Alexander wondered if they had abandoned him, now that he was a liability.

"Thank you, Miss Lewis." Washington said, gesturing for Maria to sit down again.

Maria sat down slowly, making sure that everyone saw her stomach as she descended. Alexander rubbed at his eyes in frustration.

"Colonel Hamilton, how do you plead?" Washington turned to look at him.

Alexander rose to his feet. He typically did not mind speaking in front of crowds, but he had never been judged in this sort of way before. His hands trembled at his side. His voice seized up, threatening to refuse to come out at all.

"Not guilty, sir." He said quietly.

"Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." Washington did not seem to notice Alexander's nerves. Perhaps he did not care. "Now we will proceed to the evidence presented. I have here a letter from Miss Lewis, stating that Colonel Hamilton consummated their relationship only to break their engagement a few weeks later. She states that she relied on Colonel Hamilton's promise that they would soon be married when she agreed to such an…intimate act."

Alexander swallowed hard. Maria nodded from across the room, an annoyingly earnest expression on her face. Alexander could hardly believe that this was the same woman that he had considered marrying just a few months prior.

"There is further evidence that Colonel Hamilton visited a whorehouse in a part of New York known as the…ahem…Holy Grounds." Washington did not seem to like discussing such matters. Alexander could not blame him.

"That's a lie." Alexander mumbled to himself, looking around to see if anyone else was outraged by the accusations. Everyone was staring straight ahead, as though Washington's narrative was the god's honest truth. Alexander could not stand it. He rose from his seat without thinking. "Sir, that is a lie!"

Washington glanced at Alexander. He did not seem surprised by Alexander's outburst, as others were.

"Sit down, Colonel Hamilton." Washington said. His voice was calm. He looked down at his papers again. "I will not tolerate outbursts. When I would like your answer to these accusations, I will ask for it."

"Yes, sir." Alexander plunked back into his chair. He looked over his shoulder again, hoping that John or Lafayette would materialize. He needed someone in the room to believe him. He felt as though he was being fed to the wolves.

"There is a letter from Mr. Lewis - Miss Lewis' father. He forwarded a letter written to him in Colonel Hamilton's hand, asking for Miss Lewis' hand in marriage." Washington continued as though there had been no interruption at all. "Colonel Hamilton, do you object to the assertion that you and Miss Lewis were engaged?"

Alexander rose to his feet again.

"No, I do not." He replied humbly. "But sir…"

"Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." Washington interrupted sharply. He cast Alexander a stern look. Alexander shut his mouth and sat down again.

He wished that he would have written to one of his friends from New York, asking them to represent him in this extremely embarrassing matter. Even Hercules would have been better than no one; at least Alexander would have had one friend in the room.

"Now, there are several accounts among the soldiers that you visited, if not frequented, whorehouses. I have the affidavits here with me, all of them signed and sworn. Do you object to these assertions?" Washington inquired, gesturing to a stack of papers.

"Yes, I do." Alexander rose to his feet again. He frowned back at Washington. "I have never been to such a place in my life."

"Can you explain, then, why there are so many soldiers who have sworn that they have seen you there?" Washington inquired.

Alexander shook his head.

"I cannot." He admitted. "I can only assume that those men were biased against me, either by my own wrongdoing or by some incentive greater than honesty."

"Can you account for your time when you were supposedly at these whorehouses?" Washington asked.

"I could not say; I do not know the times that these men assert." Alexander replied. "Though I am inclined to say that I was likely at my desk working for you, General Washington."

Washington nodded. He did not smile.

"Do you have any men who would corroborate this?" He asked.

"Uh…" Alexander looked over his shoulder. It would have been the perfect time for Lafayette or John to arrive. They could attest to Alexander's work ethic, and his distaste for whorehouses. "I believe that my colleagues would do so, if they were present."

"But they are not." Washington said.

"No," Alexander agreed. "They are not."

"Very well. Let us move on to our next point." Washington said, shuffling the papers on his desk. "Miss Lewis asserts that you consummated your relationship with her, under the pretense that you intended to marry her. Do you object to this assertion?"

"Yes, I do." Alexander said again. "I was engaged to Miss Lewis, that is true, but I never consummated the relationship. We were waiting until we were formally married."

"That is not true, General Washington. He did consummate it - right before he visited the Schuyler mansion!" Maria interjected.

"Miss Lewis, you will be given the chance to speak if you so desire, but you must first allow Colonel Hamilton to speak." Washington instructed her sternly.

Maria sat down in her seat and glowered at Alexander. Alexander did his best to avoid her stare. He did not trust himself not to stoop to her level.

"Do you have any evidence that you did not consummate your relationship with Miss Lewis, Colonel Hamilton?" Washington turned to look at Alexander.

Alexander frowned.

"No, sir." He said. "I cannot have evidence of something that did not happen."

There were murmurs behind him. He knew that it was a rather surly answer, but he could not help it. He felt as though the whole proceeding was extremely unfair. It was his word against Maria's. He did not know who it was that Washington would believe.

"Very well." Washington turned to look at Maria. "Miss Lewis, do you have any evidence that you and Colonel Hamilton did consummate your relationship, if you do not mind me asking?"

"Yes, I do." Maria glared at Alexander before rising to her feet again. She gestured towards her stomach. "I believe that this is proof enough. I was engaged to Colonel Hamilton at the time of my child's conception. Who else could have done this but Colonel Hamilton?"

Alexander bit down on his lip to restrain himself from answering.

Washington nodded.

"You may sit, Miss Lewis." He said. He then looked up at the rest of the people populating the room. "I will deliberate over this matter for the next hour. You are excused for that hour."

Everyone rose to their feet. Chairs scraped against the wooden floor. Alexander rose to his feet, looking around uncertainly.

"Colonel Hamilton," Washington called out over the noise. "I would like for you to remain behind."

Alexander felt the color drain from his face. He nodded without speaking. He remained where he was as everyone else filed out of the room.

Once everyone had left, Alexander allowed himself to look at Washington. Washington was staring back at him impassively.

"Colonel Hamilton," Washington said at last. "I must inform you that, at present, I am likely to find you guilty of the charges levelled against you. I did not think it prudent to bring it up in front of mixed company, but I, myself, have borne witness to your misconduct in the past."

"Sir?" Alexander cocked his head in surprise.

He could not imagine what misconduct Washington was referring to.

Washington cleared his throat, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.

"I have personally borne witness to both Miss Angelica Schuyler and Miss Eliza Schuyler leaving your company at inappropriate hours. It did not appear that you were chaperoned at either time. I thought it best to keep this information to myself, as I did not understand the context of these events, but in light of the accusations against you, I am led to believe the conduct was highly improper." He explained.

Alexander felt his stomach drop out of his body. He had forgotten about those two experiences entirely. He did not know how to justify his behavior without digging himself into this vile pit deeper. Worse still, he might injure Angelica and Eliza's reputations.

"It is regretful that you had to witness circumstances which made you think less of me," He said, his voice hoarse. "However, I cannot justify my actions without embarrassing the ladies in question. I will not do so."

Washington nodded. He likely thought that his own concerns were validated; that Alexander was admitting his guilt through omission. Alexander tried to hold his head high. If he was to suffer a punishment, he would at least do all that he could to spare the Schuyler sisters from the same punishment.

"Then I believe it is safe to deliberate not on the question of innocence, but instead on punishment." Washington said. "You may leave me."

Alexander hung his head and left the room.

Once he stepped out of the room, he saw several individuals loitering in the adjacent room. Among them were General Schuyler and Eliza. General Schuyler was speaking with a few officers that Alexander recognized, while Eliza was standing behind him with a forced smile painted on her face. Maria was in a separate corner, shooting daggers at Eliza while several ladies spoke to her.

A few people afforded Alexander curious stares. Alexander avoided their eyes as best he could. He strode down the hallway towards the door. He wanted some fresh air before he had to face his punishment. He assumed that he would be fired, and would be pressured into marrying Maria before she caused any more scandals. His life would be over. He was only twenty-five.

He sat down on the porch of the building. He did not care if dirt got on his trousers. At this point, his appearance did not matter at all. He would have to find a job without the support of Washington or General Schuyler. The best sort of job that he could hope for under such circumstances would be a debtor's attorney. He would not make a difference in the world. He would not even make a difference in New York.

After a long spell of self-pity, the door cracked open behind Alexander. He turned to look. One of the officers who had been speaking with General Schuyler was standing behind him.

"General Washington has requested your presence, Colonel Hamilton." He said gruffly.

"So I remain a colonel for the time being." Alexander said glumly. "All right."

He rose to his feet and followed the officer into the room where Washington sat in judgment of him. Maria was already back in her seat, glaring at him. His stomach churned at the idea of spending the rest of his life married to a woman who hated him.

"Be seated, Colonel Hamilton." Washington said.

No one stood when Alexander walked into the room, not even the enlisted soldiers whom he outranked. Alexander reminded himself that he would have to grow comfortable with these small indignities.

"Colonel Hamilton, you stand accused of improper conduct as an officer. After receiving evidence and hearing arguments from you and Miss Lewis, I hereby find you…"

"Hold on!" The doors swung open before Washington could finish his sentence.

Washington looked to the intruder with a dark expression. Alexander looked over his shoulder. He was startled to see John marching down the length of the room. He held another man - a man who Alexander did not recognize - at arm's length. The man's hands were bound together with rope. Behind them was Lafayette, grinning from ear to ear.

"Colonel Laurens, what is the meaning of this?" Washington demanded.

"My apologies, sir, but I found a soldier who has critical information regarding Colonel Hamilton's trial. Sergeant Reynolds, will you tell General Washington what you told me?" John looked at the man, Sergeant Reynolds, pointedly.

Sergeant Reynolds glowered back at John. Lafayette pushed Sergeant Reynolds forward with a questionable amount of force. Sergeant Reynolds was forced to stumble forward, humbled.

"Sir," He addressed Washington without looking at him. "I, er, I might've spent a night with Miss Lewis."

There was silence in the room. Alexander turned to look at Sergeant Reynolds in surprise. He had never met the man; he certainly would not have suspected him of impregnating Maria. He then looked to John. John winked at him before returning his attention to Sergeant Reynolds.

"Please continue. However, be sure to use the most appropriate language that you can, under the circumstances." Washington said. He glanced pointedly at Eliza. "There are ladies present."

Sergeant Reynolds cast John a surly look. He clearly did not wish to say anything further on the matter. John flicked his eyes back to Lafayette, threatening another rough push if Sergeant Reynolds did not speak.

"Miss Lewis came to me after Colonel Hamilton went to visit some fancy mansion in New York. She wanted a baby - she said she needed somethin' to keep Colonel Hamilton from breakin' their engagement if he asked some other lady to marry him." Sergeant Reynolds said with great reluctance.

Alexander turned to look at Maria in surprise. He had known that she was lying about the child's paternity, but he had not suspected that she had gotten pregnant with the deliberate intention of trapping him.

"That's not true!" Maria protested. She looked at Washington, not Alexander.

"Do you swear that the words you speak are true and of your own volition?" Washington asked Sergeant Reynolds.

"The words are true enough, sir." Sergeant Reynolds replied unhappily. He glared at John. "Though I am admitting to it solely because Colonel Laurens threatened to string me up by my ankles if I did not."

Washington cast John a disapproving stare. John grinned back at him, unashamed.

"Well," Washington said at length. "I suppose that we do not need to continue any further. Colonel Hamilton, do you reaffirm your pledge that you did not consummate your relationship with Miss Lewis?"

"I do, sir." Alexander replied eagerly.

Washington nodded.

"Then I find Colonel Hamilton innocent of the charges levelled against him. Sergeant Reynolds, you are relieved of your service. Though I cannot command you on personal matters, it is my recommendation that you marry Miss Lewis and stay out of trouble as best you can. You are all dismissed." He proclaimed.

Alexander let out a sigh of relief as people surrounding him rose to their feet and shuffled out of the room. After a moment, once he allowed himself to process all that had just occurred, he, too, rose to his feet. He approached John and Lafayette, who seemed to be waiting for him.

"Thank you." He said before they could say anything else. "I believe that General Washington was about to find me guilty."

"It is the least that we could do." John said.

"But Colonel Laurens is being too humble." Lafayette proclaimed, thumping John on the back. "When he 'eard about your trouble, he turned this camp upside down looking for anything which might 'elp you."

Alexander smiled at John.

"Then accept my gratitude, John. Thank you." Alexander said, placing his hand on John's shoulder. He then glanced over John's shoulder. He saw General Schuyler and Eliza loitering at the back of the room. "Now, if you will excuse me, gentlemen. I believe I have a very important conversation to have."

John nodded.

"Good luck." He said with a small smile.

Alexander nodded back before dropping his hand from John's shoulder. He then stepped around the two men and approached General Schuyler and Eliza. Eliza smiled at him shyly. General Schuyler did not look so friendly.

"Hello, sir." Alexander greeted General Schuyler first purely out of propriety. "Hello, Miss Schuyler."

General Schuyler nodded.

"Hello, Colonel Hamilton." He said. "Quite the show that you and your friends put on."

"I am sorry for the trouble that all of this has caused, sir." Alexander glanced over his shoulder at the empty room. Servants had already began clearing away the chairs. Alexander frowned as he turned to face General Schuyler again. "It is a great source of embarrassment for me. I hope that I have successfully proven that I have done nothing to injure the reputation of your daughter or myself."

General Schuyler nodded again.

"It seems that you were telling the truth." He said. "I apologize for not believing you."

"There is no need for apologies, sir. I understand that the surrounding circumstances did not support the truths that I was asserting." Alexander assured him. He then glanced at Eliza, venturing a small smile. "I only wish to return to the normalcy of my life before Miss Lewis' unfortunate claims. Might I ask if I may still rely upon your blessing of the union between your daughter and I?"

General Schuyler let out a sigh. Clearly, he still did not think very much of Alexander. Alexander did not blame him; the past week had done nothing to enhance his appearances of gentility.

"I suppose that is up to my daughter." General Schuyler said, taking Alexander by surprise.

Both of the men turned to look at Eliza.

Eliza smiled wryly. Alexander smiled back.


	14. Chapter 14

"Do you, Alexander Hamilton, take Elizabeth Schuyler to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The minister asked in a booming voice. He surveyed the audience as he spoke, though it was not a very large one.

Alexander did not hear the rest of the words being said. He could not think of anything other than the two perfect dimples on either side of Eliza's smile. He thought of the first time that he saw that smile. He could not believe that he, the lowly dockside clerk, was actually marrying this lovely, charming, wonderful woman.

The minister stopped speaking after a moment. He looked at Alexander pointedly.

"I do." Alexander said without hesitation.

He did not need to think about whether he wanted to marry Eliza. He knew. He had known since he first saw her walking around the city with Angelica.

"And do you, Elizabeth Schuyler…" The minister continued, turning to look at Eliza.

Alexander allowed himself to refocus his own attention on Eliza.

He could scarcely believe that Eliza had agreed to marry him, even after the scandal that Maria had created. She had not asked him any questions about it. She said that she had trusted him all along; her father had been the only force which kept her from sitting by his side during the trial.

"I do." Eliza had not even allowed the minister to finish speaking.

She locked eyes with Alexander. Her smile deepened. Her eyes were sparkling. Alexander was certain that he had never loved her more.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife." The minister proclaimed.

There was polite clapping from the audience. Among them, Angelica and Peggy Schuyler clapped the loudest. John and Hercules were shaking their heads, just as incredulous about the union as Alexander was.

Alexander took Eliza by the hand. It was soft and warm. He gave it a gentle squeeze before leading her back down the aisle as a couple.

"I love you, Alexander Hamilton." Eliza said.

"I love you, too." Alexander whispered back.

His name had never sounded as good as it did coming from her lips.

 _End_

* * *

 **Sorry about the short chapter, but I figured this was the only way to end this story! Thank you to all of those who continued to read, even when some chapters were messes and the plot got a bit wonky. I'll be posting the first chapter of a new story next Saturday...feel free to check it out if you're so inclined!**


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